Portals

The darvaza, or a doorway, signifies many things in many cultures, ranging from the metaphysical separation of the death from life, to the more mundane indoors from the outdoors. As a photographer, perhaps the appeal lies in its ability to frame the organic shapes and colors of the outdoor with a well-defined man-made structure.

I collated three such doorways from different parts of the world: the doorway of an outer portico for the Taj Mahal-inspired Bibi ka Maqbara in India, an arched window in the kasbah in Chefchaouen in Morocco, and the stone-hewed entrance of an old caravanserai on the Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan. Each are different, and yet, they share the intrinsic property that is common for a darvaza.

Home is where you are

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The concept of a domicile and a permanent abode is a strong fixture for the modern community. It anchors our present-day lives, and with the pandemic moving most work to home, the importance of the place of residence is higher than ever before.

That led me to wonder about the nomadic lives that many communities around the world practice, including the famous Bedouin tribes of Middle East, the Mongol tribes in Mongolia, Saami tribes in Scandinavia and numerous more in Africa and South America. And then there are also the digital nomads who work and live on the move, relying on modern technology to keep connected to society.

The nomadic herders I stayed with in Kyrgyzstan are certainly not digital nomads. Their calendar revolves with the seasons of the year, bring their herds of cattle and horses up to the high altitude meadows (jailoos) in early summer. They move and stay with the herd for half the year, in white yurts that pop up on the green landscape, and only move back down when winter calls and the weather turns harsh. A few of these herders set up additional yurts and welcome tourists to spend a day and experience the nomadic life of these herders. Modern technology has certainly eased some of the challenges and brought more income, but has not changed their lifestyle. I hope this tradition continues to thrive.

Tash Rabat Caravanserai

At Bashy district, Kyrgyzstan

Refuge in the mountains

Out in the middle of a green valley in the western Tien Shan mountains lies a stone refuge. At 3200m, this seemingly desolate refuge is miles away from the nearest village, with nothing but tall treeless mountains with grassy slopes all around. The setting is remarkably beautiful, but for what purpose was this built? Why does it have 31 rooms, with many hidden passageways? And why was it so far away from anything? Mysteries abound this stone refuge, the Tash Rabat Caravanserai.

I had heard about this place during my initial research into Kyrgyzstan. My interest was piqued by the fact that it was a caravanserai that was not built along any major caravan route. But being so far off from the main cities, I had put off visiting this attraction. Thankfully, not only did I get an opportunity to visit, I also got to spend a night by one of the yurts next door.

Despite the half-moon, the clear night sky, bereft of any haze thanks to being at 3200m, afforded a great opportunity to capture some star trains. I set up on a nearby hill, and with an entire retinue of herding animals to provide company: galloping horses, barking dogs, and grazing cattle wandered all over, but thankfully never knocked my tripod. 15 exposures and 90 minutes later, I ended up with this star trails image over Tash Rabat

Tash Rabat Caravanserai
Naryn Kyrgyzstan