92SOPHIE IBBOTSON is the founder of
Maximum Exposure Limited, and the Eurasian
investments specialist at Glacex LLP. She
is the author of five Bradt Travel Guides,
including guidebooks to Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan, and lectures regularly about
Central Asian business, culture, and travel.WHEN
Nowruz coincides with the spring equinox
in March. This typically falls on March 20
or 21, though some countries extend the
celebrations for up to two weeks
WHERE
Kazakhstan (March 21–24), Kyrgyzstan
(March 21), Tajikistan (March 20–23),
Turkmenistan (March 21–22), Uzbekistan
(March 21); and in West Asia: Azerbaijan
(March 20–26) and Iran (March 20–24)
HOW
Travel the Unknown (www.traveltheunknown.
com) comes recommended, helping travellers
experience the less visited parts of Central
Asia with both independent and small group
tours, giving you a taste of multiple countries
in the region so you can compare and contrast
their varied cultural traditions. From Almaty,
Air Astana has connecting flights to- Kyrgystan (Biskek) – Daily
- Tajikistan (Dushanbe) – 4x weekly
- Uzbekistan (Tashkent) – 6x weekly
- Azerbaijan (Baku) – 3x weekly
- Iran (Tehran) – 4x weekly
EXPERIENCE
NOWRUZKazakhstanGo with the flow! Nowruz is a family affair
and you might well be invited to join in the
celebrations by a local host. Join in with
everything you can.INSIDER’S TIP
CENTRAL ASIALEfT Young girls perform a
traditional dance during Nowruz
in Zarafshan, Uzbekistangoldfish in it, and a sprinkling of rose
water decorate the table. Anticipation
builds as the family gathers: They
cannot eat until the exact moment of
the spring equinox.
Nowruz is a time for family, and
people take the chance to return home
to their villages. Across Central Asia,
and especially in Kazakhstan, it’s the
one occasion when historic nomadic
traditions are revived. Felt yurts are
erected in town squares, and in each
one a dastarkhan (feasting table)
is set. Once again, there are seven
dishes, including meats and dairy
products, but here they represent not
the planets, but human virtues: health,
wealth, joy, success, intelligence,
agility (essential for a horseman on
the steppe), and security. The music is
riotous, and the dancers are bedecked
in magnificent costumes and jewellery;
it really is quite a spectacle.
But arguably the greatest
excitement is reserved for when
the buzkashi games start. The most
famous of these is in Afghanistan’s
Mazar-i Sharif, where thousands of
spectators gather, but smaller matches
are played across the “Stans”. In
Kazakhstan the sport is called kokpar;
in Tajikistan it is ulak tartysh.
This chaotic, dangerous horseback
rugby is the more energetic forerunner
of modern polo. Teams can be as many
as 100 riders strong, and they are
competing for the glory of their tribe
or clan. Matches have been known to
last for several days, and they can be
exceptionally aggressive, although
etiquette dictates that you should
not deliberately whip other riders, or
knock them from their horses. A goal is
scored when a rider manages to throw
the headless goat carcass (a weighty
but readily available alternative to a
ball) into the kazan (goal). The crowds
roar with delight; and their energy
spurs the riders on.
For 3,000 years, Nowruz has marked
a new beginning. That moment when
the days and nights are of equal
length is a fitting time to look back
and remember our ancestors and our
traditions, but it also the time to look
forward to the year ahead. agIMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCKUzbekistan Kyrg yzstanTajikistanTurkmenistan