Kulyab

Kulyab, the fourth-largest city in Tajikistan, is home to around 100,000 people. Its history spans over two millennia, and for centuries, Kulyab played a significant role as a political, economic, and cultural hub in the vast Khatlon region. Positioned along one of the routes of the Great Silk Road, the city maintained strong commercial, economic, and cultural ties with many countries in both the East and the West.

Throughout its history, Kulyab was one of the main centers of culture, science, and trade within the Bukhara Khanate. It housed numerous maktabs (primary schools) and madrasas (higher schools), which fostered education and intellectual development in the region.

Kulyab was first mentioned in historical records in 1222, when it suffered destruction at the hands of the Mongols. It was again noted in 1555, when the Ottoman admiral Said Ali Reis made a pilgrimage to the tomb of the Sufi sheikh Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani. By 1584, the city had come under the control of the Bukhara Khanate and served as a formidable fortress, protecting the Khatlon region from Kyrgyz raids. However, in the 18th century, the rise of the Durrani Empire in Afghanistan shifted the main threat to the southern borders. In 1750, the city of Kulyab was moved to its current location by the Yakhsu River to better protect the seat of power in the region.

By the early 20th century, Kulyab had become the center of a bekstvo (a region ruled by a local nobleman) and was one of the largest cities in Eastern Bukhara. In 1922, the Red Army entered Kulyab, and the region was incorporated into the Soviet Union.

Interestingly, in the post-Soviet era, following the end of the Tajik Civil War, individuals from Kulyab rose to the highest levels of leadership in the country.

Despite its historical significance, Kulyab itself is rather unremarkable in appearance. The main street, Ismail Somoni Avenue, runs parallel to the mountains, cutting through the heart of the city. It is from this avenue, near the bus station, that the famous Pamir Highway begins, heading off at a sharp angle toward the mountains. Buses from the station regularly make the three- to four-hour journey to Dushanbe. The city also has a railway station, though the train from Dushanbe takes eight hours and runs four times a week.

The city’s primary attraction, perhaps its only notable one, is the Mausoleum of Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani (1314-1384), located in the city park and marked by its golden domes. Ali bin Shihab al-Din Hamadani, a prominent Sufi of the Kubrawiya order, lived in the 14th century and is best known for his efforts to convert the Kashmir region to Islam through his teachings. He died during a pilgrimage in Afghanistan, but later, by the decree of the Khan of Bukhara, his remains were transferred to Kulyab, where the mausoleum was built. The park was established on the grounds of an old cemetery, with the mausoleum standing at its center.

One of the most striking features of the park is the beautiful tombstone preserved under a canopy, brought from India. It marks the resting place of the son of a local ruler, Muhammad bin Sheikh Abdullah.

This historical site, set in the serene environment of the city park, draws visitors seeking to connect with the spiritual legacy of Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani and the deep cultural heritage of Kulyab.