Kushoniyon

KUSHONIYON – A MEMORY OF OUR GLORIOUS FOREFATHER

A brief historical information. Kushoniyon (the former Bokhtar district) in Khatlon region is considered one of the largest and the most populous districts in the area of ​​556 km² and on January 01, 2018 the number of its population has reached 236215. The population density is 1 km² 424. The administrative center of the district is Ismoili Somoni town.

From the center of the district to Dushanbe city the distance is 110 km, to Bokhtar city 8 km and to the Railway station of Bokhtar city is 30 km.  Kushoniyon district borders in the north with Vakhsh district, in the east with Lewakand city, in the south with Jaloliddini Balkhi district, and in the west with Bokhtar district.

According to the historical sources, Kushoniyon district was established in the 30^th of  the XX century, and the center of the district, along with its surrounding places have been called “Chechka” and then it has been called Oktyabr (October) and until 1965 it was in the board of Qurghonteppa district. After the establishment of Vakhsh district, the town Oktyabr (presently Ismoili Somoni) and the farming  “Communism” (presently Mehvar) joined this district. This way, it was called Communisty (Communistic) district on November 16, 1980. During the independence period, according to the wish of the district population, on December 28, 1991along with the discussion of the other issues of the agenda, the issue of changing the name of the district has also been taken into consideration and the name of Communisty has been changed into Bokhtar at the 8^th Session of the Council of the People’s Deputies of the district. Then, according to the decision of Majlisi milli of Majlisi Oli (parliament) of the Republic of Tajikistan, from February 16, 2018 under the registration # 511, the name of Bokhtar has been changed into Kushoniyon. This name gives us a spiritual connection with our Glorious Forefathers of Kushoniyon Empire, that there was a time, it was firm.

There are mainly Tajiks and the minor of Uzbek, Russian, Kyrgyz, Turkman and other ethnics, live here in the district.

Within the territory of Kushoniyon district, there are 8 councils, including 3 urban and 5 rural councils.

            Attractive travelling areas. Kushoniyon district is located along the river of Vakhsh. Vakhsh river is attractive for each visitor and biker, the color and shape of its water sometimes is blue and transparent, sometimes is pure and cold and some other times its yellow and overflowing of the stream. Vakhsh river passes the deep ravines, 170 km above its outfall, it flows to the large valley of Vakhsh and divides into several streams. The source of this river water is mainly glaciers and snowstorms. “Vakhsh” is taken from the word “Okhsho”, “Oakhsho” and refers to the name of the water Goddess. It is certainly has emerged from the ancient Tajik-Persian word “Vakhshu” (Bakhshu). In the past Vakhsh has been used with the meaning of “spirit”, sometimes referred to the “flowing water” too. Henceforth and now, the name of this antique Goddess is saved only by one of the Pu Amu streams, which is Vakhsh river. In most of the Persian-Tajik researches concerning the word “Vakhsh”, it can be seen as a toponym and as a hydronym, referring to the education culture of the hydrology. As it is mentioned in “Osor-ul-boqiya”, on the tenth day of Ispandaromuz month, there is a festival which is called “Vakhshankom” and Vakhsh is the name of the angel, who is a fiduciary of all the waters, especially of Jayhun river”. Also there are various historical statues, memorial plagues and a historical museum in the district.

            Infrastructure service. Kushoniyon district has all the necessary modern conveniences for receiving the guests. There is a resting and relaxation place called Aqua park in Bustonqal’a, where the children go there to swim, have a rest and enjoy the time playing and walking there. Also, in the center of Bustonqal’a town, there is a modern tea house located there, which is built by the skillful folk craftsmen and with the ancient architectural methods, modern design and very beautiful decoration. The above-mentioned tea house is a handicraft of the local craftsmen and has a high level of aesthetics and is a place of resting and relaxation of the district inhabitants and guests. Here are the delicious national dishes, offered to the customers. In the other part of this town, there is a hotel named “Sayyoh”, which is ready for the proper serve of the guests and bikers. This hotel is built and dedicated to the “Year of Tourism and Folk Crafts Development” and is one of the modern hotels. “Sayyoh” hotel offers 24 rooms, where 8 of them are in the high level of “luxury”, other hotel rooms also are well equipped and the hotel can serve 48 person a day. According to the customer’s order, a variety of tasty dishes can be prepared, the food quality and the service level are very well.

            There is a small football stadium near the hotel.

            Also, there are food stuff shops in each villages and settlements of the district, in the center of the district, there is a supermarket and in the district central market there is a wide range of the different types of goods and products are offered according to the customers’ desire and selection. The district restaurants and canteens serve the customers round-the-clock.

            Folk craftsmanship and skills. It is an honor, that by the initiative of the Central Executive Committee of the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, with the aim of reviving our folk crafts’ heritage, providing an occupation for the women and girls, supporting the activity development of the crafty and creative women, there has been established the center of learning folk crafts, where, there has been provided 16 sewing machines, in Kushoniyon district.

            An establishment of the center of ladies’ education is an important factor for the development of the folk crafts, that along with the development of the folk crafts and involving the interest of the young generation to the crafts and craftsmanship, there also can be provided working places for the women and girls.

            There are lots of producers and creators of the folk crafts, within the district. The diligent people inherit various types of folk crafts to the next generations, raising their status and value over the betterment of the family lives. Most of the district residents are well aware of the variety of folk crafts, like gulduzi, sherozduzi zarduzi (needlework); toqiduzi (headwear-sewing), pirohanduzi, jomaduzi (dress-making); kurpaduzi (mattress-making); adrasbofi (silk-knitting), socks-knitting; basket-making, cradle-making, wooden dishes (wooden made products); carpentry; blacksmith’s work and the number of other types of craftsmanship, making them the source of their domestic income in a very unique way.

            The district housewives make national dishes out of the healing plants and nutritious vegetables, such as: qalama, tahmol (the bread with many thin oily layers), kulcha and chapatti (types of breads), oshi burida (homemade noodles),  qurutob, shakarob (made of the bread with many thin oily layers, curd, vegetables and oil), shirkadu, umoch, shirbirinj (made of the dairy products), dalda, gandumjush (made of wheat and meat), tarhalvo, halvo (sweets), palaw and so on, very skillfully.

            The particularities of the district. The district has the wide agricultural potentials, and the needs of the region’s population with the fresh products are mostly supplied by the fields of ​​this district. One of the unique geographical peculiarities of the district is, that Kushoniyon district has completely surrounded the center of Khatlon region – Bokhtar city. So that, Bokhtar city borders only with Kushoniyon district.