Postcard from Bishkek

The Kashful Mahjub or Unveiling the Veiled –  an early treatise on Sufism – by Ali bin Uthman al-Hujwiri. Tomorrow evening marks the start of Ramadan – probably, it all depends on the sighting of the new moon and whereas some Muslims are happy to calculate the date on the basis of astronomical data, in Muslim circles this is […]

On Sunday, at the 38th session of the  Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO, held in Doha, it was decided to accept a number of historical and cultural sites from around the world into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Among the nominations that were approved was one relating to the Silk Road, making special mention of the […]

Some time ago I was invited to an event in one of Bishkek’s many Universities, the one named in honour of Ishenaly Arabaev. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious Universities in the country – based on six sites located in the city center – the main one being adjacent to the main […]

Arthur C. Clarke once wrote a short story tells of how a relatively unknown and insignificant scientist leading a humdrum and ordinary life during the Cold War is persuaded by a couple of strangers to change his name  … not in any major way, just by a single letter … and, they promise, his life […]

Kyrgyzstan lies in a seismically active zone … that is, it experiences a number of earthquakes. The frequency and severity of the earthquakes can vary considerably … as can the consequences. Some are relatively mild and pass almost unnoticed, whereas others can be strong and create serious damage. When they occur in built up, more […]

There is an old adage that you shouldn’t judge a horse by the harness. The Kyrgyz sage Toulbai wouldn’t have been fooled by harness – he was renowned for his knowledge of horses.  People would bring him their horses and ask for his advice. For example, they might ask if a particular horse was good […]

I have mentioned, several times, that there used to be a website which stated that “Kyrgyzstan is not particularly well endowed with festivals” … which, in my opinion, is grossly unfair.  They may not always be the best organized affairs, but there are a wide variety of festivals giving visitors the chance to see (and […]

Today. 21st March, happens to be World Poetry Day.  The day was inaugurated by UNESCO in 1999 to recognize the  unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind. The Day is also intended to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their […]

I am not sure if there is a recognized collective noun to describe a gathering of Prime Ministers  … in my search I came up with a number of humourous suggestions, but I would would like to suggest one … at least for Kyrgyz Prime Ministers … a Pony of Prime Ministers.  If you can have a […]

Some years ago I went on a trip and one of the places where stayed was in a homestay.  On the television that particular evening there happened be a performance by one of the leading manaschi … and our hostess, shamefacedly lowered her voice and almost whispering told me a secret … “I don’t really […]