What are dates? Of course you know that is a fruit that characterize all Islamic countries. Dates also are the most popular food during religious holydays. And many, many families try to incorporate dates into their menu during Oraza Bayram. It is impossible to imagine Islamic culture and religion without this fruit. Yes it is very important to put dates on a table at least once a year. They beautifully compliment tea. Besides banquet there is one more important thing – faith. Muslim people believe in Allah and during feast they devote a lot of time for worship. Also they study the teaching of Muhammad the prophet. This is the time when you strengthen your faith in God Allah and his prophet.
5 MAY 2015, TUESDAY
So, I want to write very much about one of the most symbolic things not only for the Tajik nation, but also for all countries situated from Asia Minor peninsula to Kashmir Mountains, and, of course, a symbolic thing for the whole Islamic culture and religion: it is the carpet and its production. Of course, the carpet plays a very important role in Islam; maybe, one can’t imagine this Religion and this culture without it. Apparently, it often can be found in many homes and apartments in Tajikistan and other countries which are officially known as the Islamic countries; they have it not only as a decoration, but also as an attributive thing… As it can be seen on many pictures, it is certainly impossible to imagine a richer view of apartment, of some home in some cities of Tajikistan Republic, and carpets often can be seen not only in many flats in Dushanbe City, but also in other small villages of this country. Of course, carpets can be seen anywhere; and also so many shops and bazaars are available for shopping to a large part of population of Tajikistan… But the biggest exporting country of carpets, of course, is Turkmenistan, maybe, as the second country follows Turkey; this republic often exports a big part of carpets production not only to other Islamic countries, but also to other republics and countries with different cultures. As I often have seen on those pictures, I mean, with some not so big cities and settlements in the southern Tajikistan, there is a lot of small houses situated in deep mountain areas, near rivers, and there, of course, one can see the same look of that living place. So, carpets are often put on the ground and on walls, I think, no Tajik family or home can’t imagine this view without carpets as a symbolic decoration of their culture. Well, it was very interesting also to read about some days and, maybe, other things what include that idea of this symbolic thing… But you know, Tajikistan has no special days of festivals for representation and production of carpets, and such idea of that… Maybe, it’s no so important for the Tajikistan Republic and its people but it is very important for Turkmenistan and its nation and culture… So many competitions and festivals, representations are hold in this country throughout the year, but the most important day is the Carpet Day, called so officially by the Turkmen nation, which is celebrated on the last Sunday in May… And also, maybe, it is worth to be mentioned that the national flag of Turkmenistan also contains some view or image, to tell the truth, a red ornamental stripe with elements of Turkmen carpets on a green field of the flag… I suppose, if Tajik and Tajikistan Republic believe in their culture and religion of Islam then each and every house must have that thing, maybe as a symbol of the East, as Islamic Decoration, a tradition; and also bearing in mind the habit that Muslims may not put their feet on carpet with footwear on, probably, it is very good if you stay on carpet bootless… If you want to feel in your heart good feelings and to pray, maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad to sit on a carpet on your legs and just to say a prayer looking out the window. That could be very interesting also to watch how this day would be celebrated, of course, not in Tajikistan, but, maybe, in Turkmenistan, I mean, the Carpet Day, and in 2015 it will be on the 31st of May. On that day when many places and shops would offer their assortment of that symbolic value, maybe also, as it was in Ashgabat city, there may be a large assortment of carpets, so many bazaars and some places which would represent and be decorated with these examples of the Eastern culture… You know, it was very fine to watch how such carpets are standing closely to other things of those countries, and also, how often many carpets are put on the ground of some houses and flats, but there are also some ball decorations and paper decorations which can be often seen on many streets of capitals of these countries, and, as it often is in Ashgabat city, view of these streets is the same, all along the streets some decorations are displayed- with balls and decorations made of paper in shiny colours – especially yellow and red, such really is the view of streets in this city in summertime where and when it is warm and shiny
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Well, one thing, and it is a symbolic thing of Islamic civilization… I mean the carpets which often can be seen in many homes and flats in Tajikistan Republic. If you, for example, want to find out, if it can be so in some poorest areas of Tajikistan, maybe, in the South-eastern part of this Republic, as in the Gorno – Badakshan Autonomous Province area and settlements there, then yes, you can’t believe, but it is true, of course, as in these places, also in each and every house and flat where you can see carpets decorating rooms, flats or homes… So, a view of a flat is exactly the same, and many rooms and kitchen areas, not always in the ordinary sense of the word, many Tajik houses have only few places where they can cook their food or what can be called just a kitchen, but, of course, it is not true… And in these places one can also see carpets… Well, it might be quite difficult to buy a carpet in Tajikistan, or, maybe, no so difficult; but probably the biggest and most important exporting countries of carpets in the world are Turkey and Turkmenistan where this thing plays also an important role in their culture and life… Also, it is necessary to take carpets into account if you want to deal with the religion of Islam…
Carpet as a national thing and symbol of Tajikistan
6 MAY, 2015, WEDNESDAY
I have no idea, about what to write today, but maybe it would be great, if probably one wants to find out about the weather in these places, places in Tajikistan; it was so wonderful to see and know that in the capital of this country the air temperature in these days is about +22° C, of course. And, maybe after some days it will become warmer and warmer, and the air will be the same, as in a hot summer. Of course, it’s very hard to live and feel like oneself in these summers, but it is really very difficult to understand or to see how exactly some people live at such extremely high temperatures during summer seasons and in the poorest areas without any normal, I mean, any air conditioners and maybe other things, too. So, but of course, summer season in this country is also so great and wonderful. It is quite unbelievable to see few clouds and rain at that time in this area, but of course, so warm and continental is the climate in this country which have no sea borders and is located far from sea, and maybe it is also problematic regarding a country in such a location, as Tajikistan which, of course, has no sea borders or exit to the sea but also has quite a large territory – because, this means, that its economy is not so strong as it may be in countries and republics which exactly have sea borders. And also, you know, when writing about economy of this Central Asia Republic it may be also very good to write that the biggest and probably the most important part of economy sector is the textile industry which plays a very important role in economy of the Tajikistan Republic; so, this means that textile production certainly guarantees the most part of income for economy of this republic and income for a large portion of Tajikistan citizens, also thanks to big export of clothes and caps which, of course, had been produced and exported by this country for ages… But the most interesting topic will be to write about some traditional clothes or, how the Tajik