Insight to Uzbek Culture through an Uzbek Wedding
Country: Uzbekistan
– Bukhara – Tashkent
Duration: 7 days, 6 nights
Transportation: coach, air bus
Time: 5 – 15 November
Wedding date: 9 – 10 November
Group: any
Hotel name: 3 star B&B
Meal: Breakfast (B)
Placement: TWN rooms at hotels
Wedding plays a significant role in the lives of the Uzbeks and is celebrated with solemnity. From the birth of their first child, families save money throughout the lifetime for one big event- wedding and many of its pre and post rituals. Attending one Uzbek wedding will reveal the insights of societal and family values, the lifestyle and the history of generations. If you look even deeper you will see how these rituals and customs are reflected in everyday lives of Uzbek people and their significance in identifying a status of a woman in a new family and her future.
Nikokh means marriage in Uzbek. The birth of a new family precedes several rites. Sovchi (match - makers) take part in the match - making ceremony. Two or three women headed by the main sovchi visit the girl’s house. The girl’s parents accept the dastarkhan filled with gifts and the food that the sovchi have brought. During their next visit the girl’s parents add a bundle with circular loaves among which lies a broken patyr (larger round bread), which means that the girl’s parents have given their consent to the marriage. This rite is called non sindirish (breaking the bread).
The groom together with his djura (friends) comes for the bride. At the threshold a poyandoz (white cloth) is spread under his feet. The groom goes to the bride. He is strewn with coins and candies. The bride remains sitting behind the chimildyk (the traditional curtain), and the women hold her for ransom. After this the bek - khalfa (the woman who reads divine texts) evicts any evil spirits from the area with the help of a mirror and smoke from burnt grass called isyrik. Then the newlyweds are brought a piala (bowl) of sweet tea or juice and they finish the drink sip by sip one after the other. This symbolizes a wish for a sweet life in the future.
Day 1: Arrive Tashkent
Arrival at Tashkent International Airport by flight from:
Flight HY - xxx at: xx:xx
Welcome by representative of the company.
Transfer to the hotel check in.
Afternoon Tashkent city tour:
Navoyi Theater Square - by 1940, Soviet planners had decided a theatre would greatly enhance an area known as the Drunken Bazaar for its wine-soaked market. Japanese prisoners of war completed construction in 1947.
Museum of Applied Arts - bright carved plaster decorations (ganch) and carved wood the building of museum itself is an attraction. There is also an exhibit of ceramics, textiles, jewelry, musical instruments and toys.
Barakkhan Madrassah (XVI c) - was the headquarters of the Sunni Mufti of ex-Sogdian Central Asia & Kazakhstan. It is interesting for its mosaic and Arabic calligraphy of the late 16 cent. Brick facade and the intricately carved doors made by Samarkand craftsmen Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum - which is the grave of a local doctor, philosopher and poet of Islam who lived from 904 to 979. The portal, inner dome and arcade dated 16th century, when his holy reputation attracted a cemetery.
Finish the tour with visiting Tashkent Metro.
Overnight in Tashkent.
Day 2: Tashkent – Samarkand
Breakfast at the hotel.
8:00 Transfer to Samarkand by comfortable AC car.
12:30 Arrival to Samarkand - the Eden of ancient East, the most precious pearl in the Islamic world. Samarkand - called Marakanda in the 4th century BC, whoever tried to conquer it! During the centuries the city has been invaded by troops of Alexander the Great, Arabian invaders, Chenghes Khan and Tamerlane. Today romance of Samarkand still works its magic, alluring the travelers with a dreamlike quality.
14:00 Hotel check-in.
Afternoon city tour:
Gur Amir Mausoleum (XV c) - Timurids dynastic burial vault, unique monument of architecture. Pay a visit the Tomb of Tamerlane, visit the tomb of Mir Seyid Bereke, Tamerlane's spiritual tutor. Ruhabad Mausoleum ("House of Spirit") - the legend says that under the dome there is a box with seven hairs of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) (14th c.)
Siyob Bazar. Bibi Khanum mosque (XIVc) - Architects, craftsmen & painters re-constructed it in 5 years.
Night in Samarkand.
Day 3: Samarkand
Breakfast at the hotel.
Half day city tour:
Ulugbek’s Observatory (XV c) – 1st observatory in Orient with 30m sextant built by Ulugbek to make exact astronomical catalogue. Afrasiab Museum - each hall of the museum contains exhibits of some period of history of Afrosiab. There is also a hall with remarkable ancient wall paintings special lightening. Shahi - Zinda mausoleum (XIV - XVc) - 'Nown of Dead' a complex of more than 20 unique buildings. Then, you go to see the Mausoleum of Khodja Daniar or Saint Daniel, a prophet of the Old Testament. This holy place is recognized by Islam, Christianity and Judaism as one of eminent pilgrimage destinations Museum of History and Art of Uzbekistan.
Free time for leisure at the hotel during mid-day.
Overnight in Samarkand.
Day 4: Samarkand – Bukhara
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Bukhara, the city of 1000 and 1 nights.
13:00 Arrival to Bukhara hotel check-in.
After lunch walking tour in Old city. Poikalon (XII - XVI c) - ensemble in the center of old Bukhara - includes the cathedral mosque "Kalyan Mosque", "Miri Arab" madrassah and the Kalyan minaret (46 m). Lyabi - Hauz (XVI - XVIIc) - a complex with Nodir - Devon Begi madrassahs big pool surrounded by trees. Ulugbek Madrassah (1417) - was the earliest of three commissioned by the enlightened Timurid ruler (the other two stand in Samarakand and Gijduvan) and his secular influence dominates the exterior design of the religious college.
Overnight in Bukhara.
Day 5: Bukhara - Tashkent
Breakfast at the hotel.
Half day sightseeing tour in Bukhara.
Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah (1652) - glittering in mercifully un-restored 17th century glory. Tim Abdullah khan - was built in 1577 and was one of the most elegant trade halls in Bukhara where silk and wool was sold by Afghan trades. Trading Domes consists of three trading centers: Tok-i-Zargaron (1570) – Jeweler’s Baza
Evening flight to Tashkent. Nigh in Tashkent.
Day 6 (9 November): Tashkent
Free day at the hotel for rest and prepare yourself to visit Uzbek Wedding ceremony Nikoh.
The obligatory attribute of a wedding is festive table with multiple guests. Two hundred or three hundred guests at the wedding party is considered to be a typical phenomena. As a present for the young couple the groom's parents should provide the newly-weds with a house or a separate flat to live in, whereas the bride's parents should furnish it and provide everything that the young couple might need during the first years of the married life. All this is not cheap, of course, but in such cases who cares about money.
The climax of a wedding ceremony is the bride's leaving her parent's house for the house of her groom. In some areas of Uzbekistan there has also remained the ancient ritual of purification, which goes back to Zoroastrian tradition, when the young couple walks around the fire three times before groom brings the bride into his house.
Night in Tashkent.
Day 7 (10 November): Tashkent
Transfer to the house of newlyweds to see one of the
most interesting ceremonies Kelin Salom.
Next morning after the wedding party the rite
"Kelin salomi" - reception of the bride in her new
family should be performed. The groom's parents,
his relatives and friends give presents to the bride
and she greets everyone with deep bow.
After lunch transfer to the airport to take a flight back to home country.
THE END of the tour which you will remember forever!
Included - specific
§ Hotel placement: 6 nights (early check-in and late check-out is not included)
Check-in time after 14:00
Check-out time before 12:00
§ Breakfast – 6, Lunch - 7, Dinner - 6
Included - general
§ Uzbekistan Visa support
§ AC Comfortable transportation for whole trip
§ Tour operator will make you feel comfortable and assist you in case of problem 24/7 (hot line: +998935039224)
§ Professional English speaking guides in Each city
§ Entrance fee to historical Places according to the program
§ TWIN / DBL hotel rooms
§ Air tickets Bukhara – Tashkent
§ 9th November Uzbek Wedding ceremony
§ 10th November Kelin Salom ceremony
Excluded
§ Visa application fee in Uzbek embassy in your country
§ Fees for the use of cameras and videos in the monuments and tourist sites
§ Expenses of personal nature like laundry, telephone, fax, internet, beverages, camera / video camera fee at monuments, medical expenses, airport departure tax etc.
§ Local payments in domestic currency, such as tips and gratuities
§ Expenses for things which are not listed in the tour package
§ Escort guide during the trip in Uzbekistan ($20 per day)
Opportunities
§ Similar standard hotels will be provided if in case mentioned hotels are not available at the time of reservation or does not suit travelers
§ Lunches or dinners in private homes of Uzbek families to get closer to the traditions, culture and way of life of local people, to see the process of baking the traditional round bread and cooking tasty pilav
§ Different dance shows and entertainment varying from region to region in traditional costumes
§ Special tours to different studios and workshops where you can see various traditional crafts
You can use our suggested programs as they stand or create your own itinerary according to your wishes and preferences. We will be happy to assist you in this task.
You can use our suggested programs as they stand or create your own itinerary according to your wishes and preferences. We will be happy to assist you in this task.
“Nuriy Travel”
A.Kahhar st. 6 apt., 57,
100025 Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Tel.: (+998 97) 440 9440
Tel.: (+998 97) 405 2677
Fax: (+998 71) 255 0599
E-mail: info@UzbekTraveller.com
Web: www.UzbekTraveller.com
Skype: uzbektraveller_1.com
Skype: uzbektraveller_1.com
I love Uzbek culture from the time i got flights from Uzbekistan airways i am again looking to explore the Kyzyl kum desert of Uzbekistan and its oasis.
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