Bukhara
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.) |
Bukhara is the capital of the Bukhara Province (viloyat) of Uzbekistan in Central Asia. The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time. Located on the Silk Road, the city has long been a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion.
History
Encyclopædia Iranica mentions that the name Bukhara is possibly derived from the Soghdian βuxārak (Place of Good Fortune).[1]
Muhammad ibn Jafar Narshakhi in his History of Bukhara (completed 943-44 CE) mentions:
- Bukhara has many names. One of its name was Numijkat. It has also been called "Bumiskat". It has 2 names in Arabic. One is "Madinat al Sufriya" meaning - "the copper city" and another is "Madinat Al Tujjar" meaning - "The city of Merchants". But, the name Bukhara is more known than all the other names. In Khorasan, there is no other city with so many names[2]
The history of Bukhara stretches back millennia. It is now the capital of the Bukhara Province (viloyat) of Uzbekistan. Located on the Silk Road, the city has long been a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. During the golden age of the Samanids, Bukhara became the intellectual center of the Islamic world. The historic center of Bukhara, which contains numerous mosques and madrassas, has been listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites.
Bukhara has been one of the main centres of World Civilization from its early days in 6th century BCE. From the 6th century CE, Turkic speakers gradually moved in. Its architecture and archaeological sites form one of the pillars of Central Asian history and art. The region of Bukhara was a part of the Persian Empire for some time. The origin of many of its current inhabitants goes back to the period of Aryan immigration into the region.
Jats, Their Settlements and Strongholds in Eurasia
Mangal Sen Jindal[3] quotes Professor Cothburn Oneal in his work “Conquests of Tamerlane” published by Avon Publications Inc. 575 Madison Avenue – New York 22. This book mentions following cities as ‘Jat Strongholds’ in Russia and near about:
1. Almalyk (Alma – Ata): Pages 97, 232
2. Bokhara: Page 125,
3. Khojend (Khokand) now Ferghana, page 125,
4. Karshi (now Bek – Budi): Page 125,
5. Samarkand: Pages 103, 104, 106
6. Tashkant: Pages 108, 110
7. Otrar: Page 108
Jats who were residing there in strongholds in large numbers and were a source of permanent trouble to Timur-lung settled Uzbekistan.
External links
References
- ↑ Richard N Frye, 'Bukhara i. In pre-Islamic times', Encyclopædia Iranica, 512.
- ↑ Narshaki,Richard Nelson Fyre, The History of Bukhara, Pg 27
- ↑ History of Origin of Some Clans in India: p.47-48