Kamol Khujandi, a 14th-century Persian poet, spent much of his life in Tabriz, Iran, while also studying in Samarkand and Tashkent. For several years, he lived in the Mongol capital of Sarai, having been taken there by Tokhtamysh. Despite his travels and long periods of exile, Khujandi never forgot his birthplace, always signing his works with the name «Khujandi.» Though he lived most of his life in Iran, Tajikistan considers him one of its own literary classics, as many of his poems express the deep sorrow of separation from his homeland.
Born in Khujand in 1321, Kamol Khujandi became a renowned poet by the 1350s. In the same decade, he left Khujand to embark on a pilgrimage to Mecca, a journey that would mark his permanent departure from his hometown. Between 1374 and 1382, he settled in Tabriz, Iran, where he continued his literary work. In 1385, he was captured by the Golden Horde (Mongols) and taken to Sarai, Russia. Ten years later, when Timur (Tamerlane) invaded Sarai, Khujandi was freed and returned to Tabriz. Upon his return, his followers compiled nearly 1,000 of his poems. Kamol Khujandi passed away in Tabriz in 1400, and a mausoleum was erected in his honor, which visitors can still see today. He is remembered as one of the greatest romantic poets of the 14th century.
In 1996, a monument to Kamol Khujandi was unveiled in honor of the 675th anniversary of his birth. Originally placed in the «Star Square» of Khujand, the monument is adorned with wings symbolizing both the holiness of the poet and the wings of poetic inspiration. The figure of Khujandi, seated at 3.5 meters in height with wings extending to 5.5 meters, faces his birthplace and the setting sun.
The Kamol Khujandi Alley is located on Ismoil Somoni Avenue, just a short walk north of the Alley of Heroes. At the northern end of the alley, a statue of Khujandi can be seen, seated with an open book in his hands. Five octagonal-shaped steps lead up to the monument, which stands in a tiled area. Next to the monument is an ancient map of Central and South Asia, showing the route Khujandi took on his pilgrimage to Mecca. The map highlights the cities he visited on his journey, including Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand, Khwarezm, Baghdad, Tabriz, Medina, and Mecca, marked with a dotted line tracing his path.
The area surrounding the monument is spacious, with small parapets offering seating. The park is a welcome respite from the city’s heat, featuring shaded areas, benches, fountains, and greenery—a perfect spot to relax and escape the sun.
In addition to the monument in the alley, another statue of the poet was erected in 2014 in the park that bears his name. This new statue stands 7 meters tall, with a pedestal reaching 4.5 meters. In a symbolic tribute to Khujandi, a memorial complex was built on his birthplace centuries after his death in exile. The 600-square-meter area includes a symbolic house of Kamol Khujandi, adorned with traditional Tajik motifs. Within the house are four large clay jars, or hums, each storing wheat, unpolished rice, oil, and water—symbols of the necessity of stocking provisions, a practice that remains part of Tajik tradition to this day.
