Ernest Kurtveliev’s photographic journey to the Bakhmal district of the Jizzakh region evokes a quiet nostalgia even for those who have never been there. It captures the charm of daily life in its most authentic form, without staged tourist attractions or festive fireworks. Such a way of life cannot be preserved like a museum exhibit, but it can be captured in images. Behind these vivid frames stand the stories of real people, the very people who make up the nation.
The Bakhmal district is famous for producing some of the finest apples in Uzbekistan. In the past, fruit from this fertile land was delivered directly to the tables of Soviet leaders; today it forms the backbone of the region’s economy. The district earns not only from fruit exports but increasingly from tourism as well.
Alongside its famed apples, Bakhmal is known for several sacred sites, including the shrine of Novkat-Ota and the legendary healing spring Besh Panja. Last autumn the area hosted an Apple Festival, where farmers and agricultural companies discussed the introduction of new technologies.
A mountain road now connects Bakhmal with Zaamin, one of the country’s main resorts. Opened only about five years ago, the road is already being lined with infrastructure for tourist zones. For the mountain rams that have long inhabited these slopes, however, the arrival of civilisation has meant searching for new secluded corners. Yet not so long ago life here followed a very different rhythm.
This photo essay takes us back to the recent past, when the mountain sheep still roamed undisturbed, the trees seemed taller, and the land remained largely untouched.
In the spring of 2011 we travelled to the Jizzakh region to photograph kupkari, the traditional equestrian game. A trip to Bakhmal was not part of our plans. But as often happens, we struck up a conversation with one of the guests at the festivities, and he invited us to his native village. It was a mountain kishlak not far from the district centre of Usmat.

When we arrived, preparations for the Nawruz celebration were already in full swing. One of the main traditions in this village is the preparation of haleem, a highly nutritious and very tasty dish made from meat and wheat.

Ernest Kurtveliev

All 1,500 families living in Bakhmal take part in the event. The ceremonial nature of the process is impressive. Ingredients are collected jointly from across the village. Cooking haleem begins in the evening. Only men tend the kazans (large cauldrons) scattered around the courtyard. The preparation is accompanied by relaxed conversation and folk festivities.
Haleem is not prepared anywhere else in the vicinity, as it is difficult to make. Many people either do not know the recipe or are too lazy. The difficulty in preparing haleem is that it must be stirred constantly with a long, thick stick for a full 24 hours; otherwise the dish will burn.

Haleem, of course, is also prepared in other regions, for example in Urgut. But there they add chickpeas or lobia beans. In Tashkent they make it as well, but they add milk and serve it cold.

Ravshan-domla Yuldashev, a local resident

In Bakhmal, festive events take place at ten different locations throughout the surrounding area. During the Soviet period the holiday was discouraged as a religious remnant, and locals prepared the traditional dish secretly in only one place before distributing it to villagers. Nawruz was officially renamed Navbahor, while the rituals associated with it, dating back to pre-Zoroastrian antiquity, were to be eliminated. As a result, the tradition of preparing festive haleem in these places was almost lost.
Yet the history of the dish is indeed ancient and closely connected with the spring celebration itself. The key ingredient is spring wheat. People once believed that before sowing the grain it had to be cooked in a kazan. After milling, the wheat is divided into three parts: coarse grain, medium grind, and finely ground flour.
To make haleem truly delicious, the people of Bakhmal strictly follow the proportions of the traditional recipe: they add meat, three types of wheat, cottonseed oil, and five parts water. Lamb and beef are placed in the cauldron in the evening, while coarse wheat is added in the morning. Once the water comes to a boil, the first portion of coarse wheat softens. Two or three hours later, medium-ground wheat is added, followed after the same interval by a similar amount of fine flour to achieve a porridge-like consistency. Everything is then mixed into a single mass. The dish must cook for a full day, during which the meat becomes incredibly tender, almost melting on the tongue.
The meditative nature of the process, coupled with collective responsibility, is reminiscent of preparing sumalak, except that here men take the lead. Four men stir the contents of a 200-litre kazan. To fill it to the brim, 125 litres of water are required.
The local water is another source of pride for the people of Bakhmal. Around 1,500–2,000 households receive water from the hot spring Besh Panja, which originates in the Bakhmal mountain range and resembles the shape of a human hand with five fingers. Locals call it a “gift from God”. The water is pure and transparent and contains many beneficial minerals. According to local belief, the spring appeared through the blessing of the saint Novkat-Ota and becomes the last hope for those who are ill or unable to have children.
We never know where barakah (blessing) will come from. People come to the sacred place to leave a stone with a cherished wish. For those who pray sincerely, the Almighty grants a child.

Ravshan-domla Yuldashev

People here mainly live off farming and horticulture. The mountain climate provides ideal conditions for growing the very apples that once competed with the famous Almaty Aport, renowned throughout the Soviet Union. Today locals proudly say that the yellow and red Bakhmal apples are officially the tastiest in the country. When a son is born into a family, an apple orchard is planted for him so that in the future he will be able to support his family and build a livelihood here. This tradition has existed for generations.
But the people of Bakhmal do more than just grow orchards.
While visiting one household, I was fortunate to observe the process of making a saddle from a single piece of wood. These are sports saddles intended for kupkari, which explains their particular shape designed to absorb shocks during the race.

Ernest Kurtveliev

Guests had the opportunity to witness not only the preparation of the Nawruz dish. In spring, villages also host sunnat-toi ceremonies and honour new daughters-in-law, demonstrating that life continues as usual.
But let us return to haleem.
Festive haleem must be eaten only with wooden spoons. This is an essential element of the traditional celebration. The spoons are carved right there on the spot from small pieces of wood. The readiness of the dish can be judged by the rich layer of fat that appears on the surface. This means that the wheat has absorbed the oil and released excess fat. Haleem is always eaten hot, straight from the kazan.
Even though other villages have tried to adopt the skill and prepare haleem according to the Bakhmal method, it is still the most delicious here in Bakhmal.
The people of Bakhmal regard their land as blessed. In cities, we often forget that Nawruz is not only a celebration of the spring equinox but also the start of the farming season. This marks the cycle of rural life: livestock are led out to pasture, the land is cultivated, trees are planted, and children are raised. And the festival… it will come again, as it always does, when the traditions are remembered.