The name "Shakhimardan" (or "Shohi Mardon") translates from Persian as "King of Men" or "Lord of the Brave", one of the epithets of the wise Ali, whose cult of veneration gave rise to a beautiful local legend. According to one version, Ali's horse struck a rock with its hoof, leaving behind a sacred imprint that turned the site into a place of Muslim pilgrimage. Of course, the connection between these lands and the righteous caliph is more mystical and religious than historical, yet a cult complex bearing his name existed here until the early twentieth century and was later restored.
During the Soviet period, the settlement was named Hamzaabad in honour of the poet, playwright and Jadid reformer Hamza Hakim-zade Niyazi, who was killed here after challenging the centuries-old social order. Today, the area has become a favourite destination for residents of eastern Uzbekistan, a small island of homeland on the colourful map of the Fergana Valley...
If you imagine life here to be somehow different from that in villages and small settlements on the main territory of Uzbekistan, it is not. As elsewhere, traditions are carefully preserved, including leisurely festive gatherings that bring together the entire extended family.
Since we arrived during the Nawruz celebrations and were warmly awaited guests, our hosts organised the preparation of sumalyak for us in the home of an ordinary Shakhimardan family. The head of the household was a woman. For the ritual cooking, she invited numerous relatives into her home: children and grandchildren, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law. Neighbours came as well. Everyone took part in making the sumalyak, as it must be stirred continuously for twenty-four hours. And all this unfolded not in silence: music filled the house, and dancing accompanied the ritual cooking throughout the day and night.
Ildar Sadykov
Homemade sumalyak is always part of a larger celebration. Every stage in preparing this deceptively simple dish, despite its small number of ingredients, is carried out collectively. The cooking itself is traditionally done by women, while men may only ensure that the fire beneath the kazan never goes out, feeding the fragrant heat.
One essential ritual involves throwing small stones into the cauldron. Practically speaking, they prevent the thick mixture from sticking to the bottom during stirring. Yet even this act has acquired a sacred meaning: whoever throws in a stone may make a wish believed to come true in the coming year.
The culmination comes when the kazan is finally opened. Here too there is an intriguing tradition: people interpret the patterns formed on the surface of the sumalyak. The most delicious sumalyak is said to emerge only after a full twenty-four hours of cooking, no less. Remarkably nourishing and naturally sweet without any added sugar, it can satisfy hunger for many hours and keep for months. And of course, sumalyak remains the central festive dish of Nawruz.
