Bokhtar

BOKHTAR – THE CITY OF FLOWERS

A brief historical information. The administrative center of Khatlon region – Bokhtar city is located on the left bank of Vakhsh river (at an elevation of 428 m. above the sea level), the city area is 0,006 km2 and its population is 105,400.
Bokhtar (Bactria) was emerged in I-IV centuries at the time of Kushan’s governing and was called Lewakand. The root and meaning of the word (the place name) Lewakand should be searched in Sogdian and Dari languages. The first part of this place name – “Lewa” is the changed form of the Avestan word (daeva), which has the meaning of “God” and the second part of it “kand” is the Avestan word (kanθa), which has the meaning of “city”. While building the cities, because of the protection from the invaders, our ancient ancestors, especially the tent-living shepherds, digged the holes around the city and then filled them with water. Here is why, the majority of the place names of the ancient Aryan cities, including Tajiks, complete with a part of “kand” (kent). Like Maroqand (Samarqand), Toshkand/Chochkand/Shoshkand (Tashkent), Paykand, Pkand, Chimkand (Chimkent), Wobkand, Hukand, Bodkand, and Lewakand are there. Also, some of the city names start with a part of “kand”. Like Kunduz in the ancient time was as a Kandej (Kanddej).
One can get from the sources, that the current center of Khatlon region has been 2000 years old and has been called Lewakand over 1,300 years. It has been ascertained, that the hill, which is located in the center of the city, is not natural, but is men-made work. There is a legend, that according to it the Governor of Lewakand city with the aim of building that hill, had implemented “the soil tax”, and following that, the people of that province, who came to the city market for sale and purchase, each of them was asked to bring a saddle bag of the soil for building that hill and to scatter it there. As a result of the contribution of people, there was built a hill with an elevation of more than 150 meters and surrounded by the walls with a width of 12 meters. There is a legend, that the wain could comfortably move, on the top of that hill. The castle of Lewakand Governor has also been built up on that hill. The aim of building that hill, first of all was to set up a watchtower, so that the city guards could be aware of a sudden invasion of the enemy, and safeguard it in time. There were two rivers from the two sides of the hill, where the Governor’s palace was built, one from the south, named “Nahri Juybor”(Rivulet River), and another one from the north, named “Nahri Juykhonum” (Juykhonum River). About “Nahri Juykhonum”, there is such a legend has been spread among the people, as if that rivulet was digged from the north side of that hill, according to the desire of Bibikhonim, the lover of that area’s governor, where the queen with her servants were engaged in swimming and resting there and that is why, the place got the name of “Juykhonum” (Lady’s river). Presently there are a minaret and a historical and area-studies museum, named Bibikhonim, on that historical hill. On September 4, 1999 the Leader of Nation, respected Emomali Rahmon, in a solemn atmosphere has opened the door of this museum.
It should be reminded, that in XIII century, the ruthless invasion of Mongol army has also ruined Lewakand, among other Central Asian cities. A part of its population has been killed, and the ones, who have been liberated from the entirely killing, have left this territory, and the name of Lewakand has been forgotten too. Later there have been settled other migrants in this place and has called this city Qurghonteppa. At the beginning of 2018 the city of Qurghonteppa has changed its name into Bokhtar.
Attractive travelling areas of the city. Bokhtar has fascinating sightseeing and travelling places. Along with an above-mentioned hill, “Juybor and Bibikhonim” rivers, Ismoili Somoni, Abuabdullohi Rudaki, Jaloliddini Balkhi monuments, a Triumph Tractor, as a symbol of agricultural development, a memorial plague of the development of Vakhsh valley, the Flag and National Emblem minarets are also considered as the most visited places. Bokhtar city has a pleasant and attractive atmosphere and there have been built hotels in its exhilarating places. Also there are cultural-resting park of Bokhtar city, the park named after Rahmon Murcha, the park and boulevard near Bokhtar’s museums named “Bibikhonum” and the park of “The Victory of Populations Against the Fascism”, as well as, the boulevard of “Otashi Abadi” (the eternal fire) are the most popular places of the people, to daily walk there.
Infrastructure service. There is a favorable condition of services, provided for guests in Bokhtar city. As well as, concerning the transport services — an International Airport, a Railway Station and the Terminal of Passengers are there round-the-clock to daily serve the guests, in Bokhtar city. Also, there are vehicle transports services, which are at low cost and move on a specific route to all parts of Bokhtar city and out of it. At the same time, beside the trading centers and innumerable supermarkets, as well as, three big markets, under the titles of “Farovon”, “Hoji Sharif” and “NIKHI” are there, to serve the residents and guests of the city. In these markets, the traders offer the variety of clothes, food, agricultural products, construction materials, cars and their spare parts and other essential necessary items to the customers.
The level of medical services also corresponds well with the contemporary world’s requirements. In Bokhtar city and its settlements, the total number of the health centers has reached 101 and the number of the pharmacies has reached 118, where all are the owners of the certificates of quality.
Today, thanks to the culture –support policy of the Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of nation, respected Emomali Rahmon, that there are various large cultural institutions (administrations), which are active in Bokhtar city. One can find them out, like the Drama Theatre named after Ato Muhammadjonov, the cinema named after A. Lohuti, the Culture Center for Youth and etc.
Bokhtar city sports stadiums named “Pakhtakor” (cotton grower) and “Javonon” (Youth) have the football stadiums, gymnastic exercises halls and swimming pools. There are seven hotels active and are titled “Qurghonteppa”, “Ramz”, “Istiqlol”, “Biyon”, “Maftuna”, “Samo” and “Sayod”, which are equipped with all modern conveniences, as well as, there are six community (public) baths in Bokhtar city.
Folk craftsmanship and skills. Bokhtar city is known well by its skilful craftsmen. Nowadays people are engaged in various ancient and modern folk craftsmanship, in Bokhtar city. One can give examples of knitting: socks-knitting, mat-knitting, carpet-knitting; sewing: poraduzi (working on the pieces of materials), chodarduzi (veil-sewing), toqiduzi (headwear-sewing), poyafzolduzi (shoe-making); needlework: chakanduzi, gulduzi, sherozduzi, zarduzi (embroidering with the gold color threads); felt production: namadmoli; carpentry: wooden made products, wooden made dishes, wooden cradle, wooden horse-saddle, wooden made musical instruments, sculpturing; blacksmith’s work: household items, such as an axe, a hummer, a mattock, a spade, a sickle, an oven for baking; jewelry; cooking: special use of the dairy, meat, bakery and green products and etc. Also the skilful females of Bokhtar city make various types of the national dishes, including qalama, tahmol (the bread with many thin oily layers), oshi burida (homemade noodles), palaw, qurutob, shakarob (made of the bread with many thin oily layers, curd, vegetables and oil), mantu (dumpling), shurbo (soup), shirbat, shirbirinj, shirravghan, revij, nishoista (made of the dairy products) and so on, very skillfully.
It is noteworthy, that since the beginning of 2018, Bokhtar city has been announced as a city of flowers and its rows and avenues have turned into the real boulevards.
The particularities of the city. Bokhtar city differs from other towns and districts of the region with its multinational atmosphere, where one can see the representatives of many nations and tribes of the world. As a result, the customs and traditions, which are closer to hundreds of tribes and nations, although at the long time of many years of living together, under the influence of the culture and values of Tajiks, they have been changed significantly, but their unique features, which can be very attractive for the tourists, are still saved.