Postcard from Bishkek

There are many legends that tell about the origin of Lake Issyk Kul, how it got its name or which address questions about why the waters are salty, and warm.  They often share one or more common elements: 

• Many of them involve a romance;
• Others tell of cities which disappeared under the waters of the lake, (something which has happened – there are the ruins of about ten towns known to have been submerged under the lake, and many more smaller settlements, and which are being explored by underwater archaeologists to this day); 
• Often they involve a cruel Khan;
• They have a sad tale to tell – the origins of the lake are based on some disaster , either personal or on a grand scale.

For example:

•  the earliest published legend tells of a beautiful girl who lived in an ancient city, at the top of a mountain – ruled by an old, wealthy and cruel khan.  Not a day passed by without someone suffering at his cruel “jokes”. Despite his age he liked young girls and he heard about this particular young girl and decided to take her.  Many of the young men, djigits, had already tried to win her affections, and even fought over her, but all to no avail.  She loved another.  Who it was, even she did not know.  She knew only that one day she had met a handsome young man on a white horse, who had taken her on his horse and they rode into the sky.  He gave her a ring and told that he would return soon, but in the meantime she should never take the ring off … whilst she wore it no trouble would ever touch her.  She was waiting for his return.  When the Khan sent his servants with rich gifts she rejected them saying, “I love another and will be no-one’s wife but his.”  She left the city to search for her beloved in the mountains – but was horrified to discover that the ring had disappeared.  Crying, she decided to return home, but on the way she was surrounded by armed men who captured her, blindfolded her, and took her to the Khan.   When the blindfold was removed and she realized where she was, she was distraught and decided it would be better to die.  The Khan surrounded her with beautiful and expensive things and made her many promises … but to no avail, she would not change her mind.  In the end, he decided to take by force what his presents could not win.  As he reached for her, she cried “I love another, I will never be yours!” and ran to an open window and threw herself from it.  The tower walls of the citadel fell and waters from the surrounding gorges flooded the site.  The continued to flow … and drowned the town, and then the whole valley … and this, according to the legend, was how the lake was formed.   
• The djigit on a white horse appears in another legend in which a girl called Issyk Kul meets her suitor, who says that he has to go away, but will return in forty days … and she should not sleep for the 39 days and nights whilst he is gone. She manages to stay awake for 38 days and nights but eventually on the final night succumbs and falls asleep.  The djigit returns to find her asleep and declares that she is not fit to be his wife.  When the girl awoke she realized what had happened and began to cry at her loss.  She cried and cried, for days and nights, and her salty tears eventually formed the lake. 
• Another version of the first legend tells of a large and magnificent town by the side of the lake, which was governed by a severe Khan. One day the Khan saw a beautiful girl on a riverbank and decided that he wanted to marry her.  The girl, however, did not love the khan and resisted.  She pleaded with the townsfolk to protect her – but nobody cared about the destiny of the unhappy girl.  The Khan locked her in the highest tower in the town and decreed that she should stay there until she agreed to marry him.  The girl cried and prayed to the heavens to help her.  He prayers were heard.  The waters of the river that flowed through the town flooded its banks, covering the whole town, killing all the inhabitants.  The girl died, the Khan died and all the indifferent people of the town died.  Since those days the lake is very salty and changeable: at times quiet and tender – just like the girl, and at others as severe as the tragedy that unfolded by its shores.
  
• Then there is the story of Altyn Chach – which means Golden Hair – who was the daughter of a poor, but good, family.  When she was 16 she fell in love with the djigit, Japar, but the cruel Khan, Kalychbai, had already noticed her and planned to take her as his seventh wife.  Learning of the Khan’s attentions, and intentions, they decide to elope.  They ran away, but the servants of the Khan caught up with them, captured them and returned them to their master.  Kalychbai ordered Janap to be thrown from a cliff into the lake where he drowned,  Altyn Chach then tore our her heart with the words, “I cannot live without my love”, and threw it into the lake.  The waters boiled, chopped and churned.  They took the bodies of Altyn Chach, the Khan and his servants.  After a while they calmed down … but to this day they remain warmed by the girl’s burning heart.
  
• Another legend tells of a well, which watered a rich and fruitful valley and was located in a town at the centre of the valley.  It was covered with a strong cover in order to keep the waters in and everyone was instructed to make sure that after they had drawn water they were to be sure to replace the cover or else something terrible would happen.  One evening a girl went to the well and met her betrothed.  They were engrossed with each other that she forgot to replace the cover and the waters flowed, and flowed, … and flowed … until it covered the neighbouring streets … and then the town … and then the valley.  And so the lake appeared … all because of love.

 

Some legends appear to place the heroine at the centre of warring factions which the lake then separates:

• For example there is the legend of Saule, Kungey and Terskey.  This has it that at one time the two mountain chains that circle the lake basin did not exist.  Instead there was a wide and fruitful valley watered by a river, the Chon Suu – which means Big Water.  In the middle of the river was an island on which lived a beautiful maiden, Saule.  According to the legend, Kungey and Terskey were the chieftains of two Kyrgyz tribes: Kungey was the chief of the Bagu on the right side of the river (the North) and Terskey of the Sarybagysh on the left (the South).  Both gathered their armies and moved to the river in order to woo Saule, but arrived at the same time.  Realising that they were rivals the two armies prepared for battle, and at noon the hostilities commenced, despite appeals from Saule to resolve their differences by peaceful means.  Saule went to the top of a hill and cried for the armies to cease fighting, finally stabbing herself in the heart.  Her blood flowed into the river which grew and widened, dividing the warring armies.  The soldiers in their astonishment at her actions turned into stone and became the mountain chains that today bear the names of their chieftains.       
• Then there is the story of Issyk Kul, Ulan and Santash.  Issyk Kul was a beautiful young girl and Ulan and Santash were two of her suitors.  Ulan lived in the West and Santash to the East.  They were both strong warriors – djigits – and as they vied for her attentions a quarrel broke out between them and they began to fight one another … to the death.   The girl was distraught by the thought and decided to kill herself, taking a knife, she stabbed herself through the heart.  The rocks opened and swallowed her body, covering it with water, and so the lake appeared.  Meanwhile, the two suitors turned into winds and still battle it out – literally – over her, churning up the waters.     

 

Other legends with different themes exist:    

• One legend tells how, in the place where Lake Issyk Kul now stands, there once used to be a large and magnificent city.  One day, the young girls who from the city went to the mountains to collect some brushwood for firewood.  While they were away there was a strong earthquake.  The whole valley where the city was located was flooded and all the people who lived in it drowned and when they returned home  they discovered a large lake instead of the city.  Overcome with grief at the fate suffered by their friends and relatives, they cried everyday near to the site where the city once stood.  Their tears, hot and salty, flowed into the lake - turning the waters salty so that the lake never freezes over.
  
• Another legend involves a cruel khan, Iskender, who ruled over a large and magnificent town. He had a big secret: he had two horns – one version has it that they were donkey’s ears.  In order to keep this secret he used to execute everybody who cut his hair or shaved him.  One day it fell to the turn of the son of an old widow to act as his barber.  She knew where her son was going and what would befall him, and so endeavoured to save him.  She cooked three loaves of bread prepared using her own milk and asked her son to offer them to the Khan.  Coming before the Khan, the boy dropped the first loaf, then the second, and when he put the third before the Khan, Iskender took it and tasted it … and liked very much.  He asked the boy what they were made of and when he was told, he realized that they had become foster brothers – having shared the mother’s milk.  As a result, the khan let him go, but having first extracted a pledge to keep his secret.  On the third day the boy had a stomachache and had a great desire to tell the secret to somebody.  His mother told him to go to the biggest well and to tell the secret to the well.  (presumably the sercret would be safe with the well – it wouldn’t tell anyone).  However, the well was so amused by the stroy that it started to laugh and water came gushing out, covering the town and made a lake.
  
• The legend of Chan Charkan is a bit like the Biblical story of Noah.  Chan Charkan lived in a big city where Issyk Kul is now.  It was a market town and the citizens were mainly merchants.  Chan Charkan was already a wise old man – and despite the fact that he was a popular figure amongst his fellow citizens, when he started warning of impending disaster, that the city would soon be covered by water … no-one believed him and continued going about their daily business.  Convinced of the coming flood, he gathered his belongings and left the city for higher ground.  He took with him some apricot seeds.  Soon, the waters did indeed rise, flooding the city.  They continued to rise.  When it reached Chan Charkan he turned and threw the seeds to the ground, and where they fell apricot trees appeared.  The water stopped at these trees and have, ever since, been retreating from them.    

 

Tags: For_the_Record, Legends, Places