Idris-baba Madrasa

Following tradition, young men and women visit the madrasa before their entrance exams, seeking to draw positive energy from the ancient institution. This ritual of blessing has been immortalized by Lebap artist Alymjan Ishankuliyev in a painting depicting two young men and a venerable elder sitting on a carpet by the sacred mulberry tree.

Stepping through the intricately carved wooden double doors of the madrasa, one can imagine the educational process as it was centuries ago. Inside the small room with a round vaulted ceiling lies a square space covered with carpets, featuring four niches in the corners where several students would sit. Across from the entrance is another niche, used for storing books. A Quran, adorned with Arabic calligraphy on a traditional wooden stand, serves as a reminder that theology was a key subject of study at the madrasa. The curriculum also included Islamic law, arithmetic, geometry, geography, and other disciplines. Graduates of the madrasa went on to become qazis (judges), muftis (religious leaders), mudarrises (teachers), and tutors. Given the absence of a chimney in the room, it is evident that students endured spartan conditions while pursuing their education. The small windows provided little light, suggesting that the door was often kept open, and classes were likely held outdoors during warm weather.

Students lived in nearby adobe houses and supported themselves through subsistence farming. In their free time, they cultivated wheat, sorghum, mung beans, beans, vegetables, and melons, and also tended to livestock.