Khujand City
on Tom Hutchison (Tajikistan), 10/Nov/2011 17:34, 34 days ago
Kuhjand is twice the population of Bath (150,000) and 300 years older, having been founded By Alexander as a furthest outpost of the Hellenic empire. It straddles a very large river between craggy granite mountains. This is the main bridge looking to newer parts of the town. What's left of this river after massive water extraction for agriculture and industry drains into the dwindling inland Aral Sea. This is a warm October dayI cross the bridge every day on the way to work. Every joint is a gappy bump for speeding vehicles. I cant imagine the chaos if it were closed for any reason.Here is the view across the bridge to where I live yesterday. It had snowed which locals say is really unusal and the temperature hovered a few damp degrees over zero. Just past the second lamp post in the distance is a huge plinth which used to support one of the largist statues of Lenin in the Soviet Union. The town was renamed Leninobod in 1936 but reverted with independence in 1991. Lenin has been removed from his pedestal and replaced by...........King Ismail Samani who is now the preferred local Legend. He has money and the national airline named after him. He was king for a few years 892-907 BCE during the 200 year Samaid rule which was the first indigenous dynasty in what had been Eastern Persia. It was a seen as a golden age of art literature and science. Lenin's statue was not destroyed but simply moved up the road. The Soviet era is remembered here as another golden age. During this time Tajikistan became for the first time a named Soviet republic. Albeit not every one was thrilled with the final map. The Soviets provided Industry, hospitals, schools, housing full employment and structure to a level which has not been regained after independance and the civil war.So Samani is the symbol of the republic and its dreams for the future. Lenin stands next to a field by the river in an unfinished concrete stack looking purposefully in the direction of King IsmailA standard part of many Tajik weddings is to have photographs taken near the Samani statue. On any day there will be bridal cars waiting at the bottom right by the Olympic size ( 50m) swimming pool and new sports complex. I have yet to see a bride by Leninthough maybe when they have finished the plinth and surroundings he could be a tourist attraction too.