Welcoming myself back

After about 3 "settling-in" weeks in my new home of temporary residence I am about to restart writing and posting own and borrowed stories, thoughts (deep and shallow), comments, pictures, guides and more.

Shrine up in mountainside

Paraw Bibi is one of the most impressive and popular pilgrimage shrines of Turkmenistan located in northwest of Gyzylarbat in Paraw village. The shrine itself, a while-mausoleum-like structure, what is historically thought to be a mosque, is located 100 meters up in the mountainside. In addition to mausoleum there are adjoining chambers, guest houses and platforms where pilgrims share meals. Remains of the ancient city dating back to ninth century are located near mentioned sites. The city served as Arab fortress border against Oghuz and served as an important town leading to Khorezm. Remain shrine-mausoleum to a Paraw Ata are among the town ruins. There are various legends connected to the shire. One of the legends states that Paraw Bibi was a beautiful maiden, an object of jealousy of many women. During military threats jealous women wanted to turn Paraw Bibi to invaders in exchange for promises not to carry attacks. Paraw Bibi cursed woman causing her to turn into black stone. Soon thereafter, while on the mountainside, Paraw Bibi saw the enemy party approaching. With this she realized the hopelessness of her situation and ordered the mountain to split open so that she might enter into it, thus preserving her purity and virtue. After the miraculous event the locals were commanded by God to build a shrine to Paraw Bibi at the site where she opened the mountain. They believed, because of her bravery and refusal to submit, Paraw Bibi was a true hero (batyr) who had been blessed by the holy breath of the prophets. Around the complex there are many "miracle working" stones and impressions of Paraw Bibi's hands and knees left in stone. One stone is said to be a watermelon that Paraw Bibi had been about to eat. According to legend, at the moment when Paraw Bibi was to cut the melon the enemies attacked and thus she threw it down in haste. At that moment it turned into stone. Watermelon-shaped stone said to be that same stone from the time of Paraw Bibi was used by pilgrims as a "detector of sin." It was placed on the thumbs of two people; if the stone rotates no sin had been committed by those balancing it. The shrine is mostly visited by women who have problems with child conception, those desiring to find true love and happiness in marriage. Once pilgrimage was mentioned by a person out loud it has to be done as soon as possible, otherwise bad luck will follow the person until he/she finally visits the shrine. Huh, guess I am obliged myself to visit the shrine as soon as I get to Turkmenistan.

A phrase to think about

A sign on the Bishkek Arts Museum reads : "The Coalition Forces Are Pleased To See This Great Transformation". What is that supposed to mean?

On April 23, couple of honors students (including me) and two juniors from American Studies accompanied by staff members will head to Osh, the southern capital of Kyrgyzstan to participate in the annual American Studies Symposium, which this year will be held in the Osh State University.

The other day I was asking colleagues what is there to see in Osh, and got couple of valuable advices. First was to try "tamdyr samsas", but I was told not to buy them just from street venders, but go to Kyrgyzstan cafe, located on Kyrgyzstan street.

Second, we have to visit the Suleima Too (Suleiman Mountain), slide on our backs from some hill (preferable 7 times) and stick our hand to some hole to make a wish. I was told if I make a global wish (like peace in the world) then all my other wishes and dreams will come true. Have to think about global wish now.

On the picture: Suleiman Too gate.

Visiting Kow-Ata Lake this summer

Couple of years ago I already visited the underground lake in Turkmenistan. Upon my arrival home in June I am doing it again.

Kow-Ata (Father of Caves) underground lake located in Bakharden at the foothills of the Kopet-Dag Mountains. At a first glance this underground area looks like magnificent auditorium: the overall length of the cave is 230 m, its height goes up to 20m, and its width is at some points 57m. 

The bottom of the cave is covered with lumps of lime. Its warm and running water is clear and emerald colored. Even in artificial lightning tiny stones on the bottom can be seen. As you approach the lake you will feel the air becoming damper and warmer. You can hear sounds like sighs or whispers above your head. These are pigeons which inhabit the cave in great abundance. 

The water has a constant temperature 33- 37°C. Chemical analysis has shown that water contains a complex combination of chemical elements-30 have been found to date.

Several legends surround the lake. One is about the cow which every day joined the shepherd’s herd. One day the shepherd followed the cow to find an owner and claim fees. The cow arrived to the lake where an old man was sitting who gave the shepherd a small bag as a shepherding fee. All the shepherd found in the bag was a bunch of fig leaves, which he threw away in disgust. He gave the bag to his wife as a gift, but found one remaining leaf in it, which turned out to be gold. When he rushed back to pick the thrown leaves he found a garden of fig trees but no sign of cow or the old man. That is how the name of the cave originated, and from Turkmen language translates as “the old man in the cave” or “father of caves”.

On the picture, view of the cave from the botton, where the lake is.

Places to visit in Balkan welayat, Turkmenistan

DEKHISTAN - a unique city, also known as Misrian located in western Turkmenistan near the Caspian Sea. Together with the neighboring ancient Mashed graveyard, Dekhistan is called Mashed - Misrian by Turkmen. Dekhistan or Misrian is not only an ancient city itself, but all the adjacent province, in other words - the Misrian oasis, which several centuries after unknown disaster, remained hardly noticeable signs. The city existed in the IX - XIV centuries. Its total area was about 200 ha, the city was surrounded by a double ring of defensive walls. Among the unique architecture (mosques, minarets, madrasahs and a number of cultural erections) only well-known mausoleum Shir-Kabir ( the 11th - the 12th centuries), t wo 25-meter-high minarets, a cathedral mosque portal , the remains of clay city walls, the ruins of caravan serais and the mausoleums on Mashat necropolis have survived.

On the picture: Remains of Shir-Kabir Mosque

How liberal is this liberal arts university?

The following article was written for the AUCA "New Star" and "Challenge" newspapers by several students, including me; however, due to changed circumstances we decided not to publish it.

This article is a student initiative aiming to discover truth and refute lame accusations of students about Christian missionary attitudes and subjective religious views of AUCA teachers. Another goal of the article is to express support and appreciation to W.R. and D.H. two of a few great professors, teachers by nature.

Personal dislikes of undisclosed students who have subjectively complained about religious professors has lead to elimination of basic requirements of a liberal arts university educational system for some classes. Consequences of such complaints have forced Professor W.R, a teacher of “World Religions” class to eliminate discussions, opinion sharing and research paper for students of the class, to avoid further misunderstandings and unprecedented incidents of unfair accusations. Some students have complained about his subjectivity based on Christian affiliation, unfairness towards other religions, quoting the Bible, and spreading the work of the gospel for conversion purposes during his classes. Despite the fact that D.H. does not teach a class on religions, he has faced the same problems because of his personal beliefs because it seems that some students are not comfortable with their professors being Christians. We are deeply indignant with such claims because we know the professors and to refute scandalous claims we conducted our own research.

We interviewed several students to find truth. O.Y, a senior student of American Studies Department met with W.R. to seek his help and expertise in the field of religion for her thesis. This is what she shared with us: “As a student writing an honors thesis on the negative influence of classism in Christian churches on poor and working class Americans, I feared to be failed by Professor R. (who was on my pre-defense committee) due to his religiosity. Before the pre-defense I asked Professor R. to read my work, comment on it, and correct me if I was wrong in my arguments and facts. I faced understanding and support from Professor R. The main corrections that he made were grammatical and factual, but there was not a single attempt to change my view, attitude and flow of the paper. The questions is, if students accused him of being so subjective, then why was he supporting my paper and did not fail me? If I were as religious as him, I would not stand such criticism of my religion. Isn’t it a clear sign of Professor Rudolph’s objective attitude toward religious matters? Concerning Mr. H, I would not even know he is a Christian if not my friend.”

Last semester T.G, a junior student of American Studies Department, took “Islam and Christianity in America” class taught by W.R. To request to comment on the class and claims of students on Professor R’s religious propaganda, T. said: “I testify that there was not a single sign of his attempt to convert anyone as some students claim. I never heard him quoting the Bible, either in class or outside. Almost the entire class was dedicated to learning the truth about Islam, its motives, and the ways a good religion is used wrongly by terrorists. We discussed only articles assigned for the class, everyone was open to freely express opinions, which were respected and never ridiculed. No one was forced to accept Christian views (which were never expressed in class by Professor R.). I don’t understand why people studying or working in AUCA have to be silent about their religious affiliations. And as far as I know, there are no sectarians who brainwash people. I wonder, would I face opposition if I wanted to learn more about Christianity or any other religion in AUCA? I do not belong to any religion, even after taking his class. I still have my own beliefs, although, I guess I am supposed to be a Christian by now.”

A.K. a junior of IT Department is currently taking Professor R's. religions class. He said that it is clear that some students have personal dislikes and there is not a single sign of attempts to convert students. He thinks that both instructors and students have a right to express their religious believes and affiliations, and that all the rumors are being spread by the radical Muslims of AUCA.

University is not supposed to be affiliated with any religion, no religious activities can be carried out on campus, even faith-based clubs cannot be officially registered, and in addition teachers must remain silent on their religious affiliations. However, there are several controversies in this regard. First of all, AUCA officially celebrates such religious events as Christmas, Nooruz; hosts celebrations of Halloween and St. Valentine’s Day. Whereas, we are not supposed to spread any religion on campus we reinforce religious holidays. How come we celebrate Christmas when we cannot even state out loud to be Christians? Moreover, is not wearing Muslim skull-caps and head-scarves on campus considered an expression of religious affiliation too?

Faith-based clubs cannot be officially registered in AUCA, though we can officially have a Muslim prayer room. Professors are not supposed to spread a word of Christianity, but two shelves in the AUCA library are filled with the Bible books.

Discussion of Christianity in religion studies classes arises discontent among some students, and teachers are being punished for making people think critically and ask questions about any religion, which nevertheless does not mean at all that a person should give up any of his or her beliefs. Therefore, the discussions cannot be carried out and students who are truly interested in finding answers to their questions cannot do this in the class designed for this purpose.

We assumed that students who take elective courses on religious studies are interested in learning the essences of religions not just mere historical facts. But it turns out that we are wrong. We would like to find out the real motivation of the claims that got these teachers in trouble.

We are adults and can make own choices and decision. No one forces students to take a religion class which are electives and even if one is taking the course, no one forces you to accept any other point of view rather than your own, and no one forbids students to disagree. Students are not forced by these professors to go to church and convert to Christianity or any other religion. And there is not a single student who was converted by these professors so far. Then why so many complaints, problems and fears arise?

We kindly ask students to give more reasonable grounds for their complaints than just the religious affiliations of teachers.

These professors do not deserve to be treated like this and rumors and personal dislikes of students in no circumstance should damage their reputation.