December 25, 2010
Christmas with Mariel and Susan in Shamakhi turns out to be wonderful. Mariel lives with a nice Russian grand
mother. She is 62 years old, just a lovely lady. She likes plants, and has the most beautiful Christmas cactus plant I ever saw. There must be at least a hundred flowers blooming on Christmas Day. I love to call her NəNə (grandmother) and she gives me a big smile every time. We cook, we eat, we chat, we drink coffee, and in the afternoon, we visit some very old tombs.
Shamakhi actually is an ancient Azerbaijan city. It started in the
5th century BC. The city was once the capital of the Shirvan Dynasty which was considered one of the most beautiful cities of the Orient. Due to the earthquakes from 1667-1902, most of the historical monuments were destroyed. Today, only a few relics remain. One of the most interesting sites is the mausoleum, a burial chamber of the Seven Domes. NəNə’s husband was buried in the same area, so NəNə wants to come with us. The cemetery is located outside of the town. We have to take a taxi to get there.
It is a brisk sunny afternoon. Once we arrive to the graveyard, NəNə starts spreading rice, bread and water on her husband’s grave. After saying a few prayers, she leads us to the antique tombs. The burial site is located on top of a hill, overlooking the entire town of Shamakhi. It is a perfect spot with excellent “Feng Shui”. Most of the seven domes look like half-destroyed stone chambers, as if grown directly from under the ground in the middle of deserted graveyard. The entire atmosphere seems a little mysterious. Normally, out of respect I would not take photograph of a graveyard, but these tombs are ancient and not many people in the world have the opportunity to see them. I quietly ask permission from the “spirit” before taking any photo.
Most of the domes are in very bad conditions, exposing the neglected and untended graves. Overgrown vegetations covered nearly half of the headstones. It is a shame that the government did not do anything to preserve these historical monuments, letting them continue to deteriorate. There are two chambers which are fully intact so I approach one gingerly. By the entrance is the monument’s name which is defined by the number of gravestones in the crypt. Even with the limited amount of sunlight peeping through, I can still make out the entire interior of the tomb. Inside the chamber, there are four gravestones with simple rock designs. According to the local history, some notorious rulers of the Shirvan Dynasty were buried underneath. I have reservation going inside for its eerie ambiance.
It is hard to believe that this compartment is really more than a thousand year old. Fascinated by its distant past, I can not help but wondering the tale behind each headstone.
It is a special Christmas Day! Really, how many people would visit the death on a Christmas Day except Mr. Scrooge from the Christmas Carol,….December 19, 1843….feel like I am going back in time…….
On this special day, I could only wish those who have a cold, pinched heart like Mr. Scrooge will go through the same ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation. The world will be a much better place if we have kindness, compassion, charity, and benevolence towards each other. Wish all my friends back home have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Christmas with Mariel and Susan in Shamakhi turns out to be wonderful. Mariel lives with a nice Russian grand
mother. She is 62 years old, just a lovely lady. She likes plants, and has the most beautiful Christmas cactus plant I ever saw. There must be at least a hundred flowers blooming on Christmas Day. I love to call her NəNə (grandmother) and she gives me a big smile every time. We cook, we eat, we chat, we drink coffee, and in the afternoon, we visit some very old tombs.Shamakhi actually is an ancient Azerbaijan city. It started in the
5th century BC. The city was once the capital of the Shirvan Dynasty which was considered one of the most beautiful cities of the Orient. Due to the earthquakes from 1667-1902, most of the historical monuments were destroyed. Today, only a few relics remain. One of the most interesting sites is the mausoleum, a burial chamber of the Seven Domes. NəNə’s husband was buried in the same area, so NəNə wants to come with us. The cemetery is located outside of the town. We have to take a taxi to get there.
It is a brisk sunny afternoon. Once we arrive to the graveyard, NəNə starts spreading rice, bread and water on her husband’s grave. After saying a few prayers, she leads us to the antique tombs. The burial site is located on top of a hill, overlooking the entire town of Shamakhi. It is a perfect spot with excellent “Feng Shui”. Most of the seven domes look like half-destroyed stone chambers, as if grown directly from under the ground in the middle of deserted graveyard. The entire atmosphere seems a little mysterious. Normally, out of respect I would not take photograph of a graveyard, but these tombs are ancient and not many people in the world have the opportunity to see them. I quietly ask permission from the “spirit” before taking any photo.
Most of the domes are in very bad conditions, exposing the neglected and untended graves. Overgrown vegetations covered nearly half of the headstones. It is a shame that the government did not do anything to preserve these historical monuments, letting them continue to deteriorate. There are two chambers which are fully intact so I approach one gingerly. By the entrance is the monument’s name which is defined by the number of gravestones in the crypt. Even with the limited amount of sunlight peeping through, I can still make out the entire interior of the tomb. Inside the chamber, there are four gravestones with simple rock designs. According to the local history, some notorious rulers of the Shirvan Dynasty were buried underneath. I have reservation going inside for its eerie ambiance.
It is hard to believe that this compartment is really more than a thousand year old. Fascinated by its distant past, I can not help but wondering the tale behind each headstone.It is a special Christmas Day! Really, how many people would visit the death on a Christmas Day except Mr. Scrooge from the Christmas Carol,….December 19, 1843….feel like I am going back in time…….
On this special day, I could only wish those who have a cold, pinched heart like Mr. Scrooge will go through the same ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation. The world will be a much better place if we have kindness, compassion, charity, and benevolence towards each other. Wish all my friends back home have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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