#murghab

Ivan Sigal

A building-size portrait of Tajik president Emomali Rahmon is dwarfed by a Soviet-era statue of Lenin in the eastern outpost of Murghab in Tajikistan

Realising a photographic reportage in Tajikistan is not easy and requires a good capacity of adaption but, in return, one will live a memorable experience among majestic natural landscapes and a harsh daily life that forged the various peoples living in the country, a place that has always been a crossroads of empires and cultures. Tajikistan is really the throbbing heart of Eurasia, whose beats are characterised by the earthquakes often affecting more remote and isolated areas. In this region you can admire fantastic peaks, but Tajikistan many other attractions, as the area called “of seven lakes” on the slopes of Fann Mountains, not far from the very ancient town of Penjikent, in the past a centre of the Zoroastrianism.

The republic has relied heavily on Russian assistance to counter continuing security problems and cope with the dire economic situation. Russian forces guarded sections of the border with Afghanistan until mid-2005 when their withdrawal was completed and the task handed over to Tajik border guards. Skirmishes with drug smugglers crossing illegally from Afghanistan occur regularly, as Tajikistan is the first stop on the drugs route from there to Russia and the West.

The meetings with Tajiks not leave a person indifferent surely, especially if one will attend to the traditional ceremonies, as the “dance of eagle”. Falling in love of this country is very easy The Tajik language is very close to Persian, spoken in Iran, and to Dari, spoken in Afghanistan. Tajiks are different in History, ethnic origin and religion as well from the other Central Asian peoples. Part of population in Tajikistan practises a different school of Islam compared to neighbouring countries. Tajikistan brings together different worlds; here was the border of Persian Empire, here passed certain routes of the Silk Road. The Uzbek Samarkand and Buchara once were Tajik cities, while today the North of Tajikistan has an important Uzbek population, all legacies of a past here certainly not without unrests. Gazing upon the wonder that is Tajikistan, is a rare privilege indeed, as very seldom do travellers venture into this region. From the breathtaking landscapes of the Fann and Zarafshan Mountains in the northwest, to the diverse and uniquely cultured people of the Murghab Plateau, the endangered fauna in the remotes corners of Bartang and Wakhan Valleys, to thrilling white water rafting and climbing opportunities one will get irreplaceable memories that few places on earth can provide.

Alessandro Niccolai   A photographer’s thoughts and notes

Murghab, Tajikistan

Murghab, Tajikistan

Murghab, Tajikistan

Murghab is a high-mountain village in the eastern part of Tajikistan located at an elevation of 3600 m above sea level. Vegetation is scarce on such elevation, and those rare trees are well taken care of. Guests of Murghab may experience mountain disease due to the lack of oxygen. Climate there is rather severe with very dry air, strong cold winds and high UV. 40°C (degrees Celsius; 104 °F, degrees Fahrenheit) in summer and -40°C (-40 °F) in winter are typical.

No one would actually think of building a village in such rough conditions, but at the time of the Great Game, when Russian and British empires were struggling for the influence in Central Asia, Russian troops arrived there in 1892 and organized a frontier post. It was called Shadjan post. First, they built small houses to survive harsh winter, and later continued with other constructions. This is how the history of Murgab began. Few years later, Russians established a frontier post in Khorog. As a result, Shadjan post became less significant. Later, Murghab village became one of the points on Pamir Highway and served as a center of geological exploration in eastern part of Tajikistan. Today Murghab is a must-stop place for travelers, as there is no other populated settlement for hundreds of kilometers where it would be possible to stay for a night in relatively comfortable conditions.