The residents of Almaty are not in vain proud of their roots: this unique place has a rich history and nature. In the vicinity of the southern capital of Kazakhstan, many unique monuments are concentrated, testifying to the life of nomadic peoples. One of them is the tract Tamgaly Tas - a kind of gallery of ancient artists. In a relatively small area of rocky terrain, more than five thousand petroglyphs and images dating from the Bronze and Turkic eras have been preserved.
That is why the people nicknamed this place "Written rocks".
Tamgaly Tas. Photos, history, legends. Famous inhabitants of the tract
Thousands of tourists from all over Kazakhstan and neighboring countries travel to Tamgaly Tas from year to year. Most of them purposefully move towards the main attraction of the tract - huge rock "portraits" of the three Buddhas: "Enlightened" Shakyamuni, "God of limitless light" Amitabha and the four-armed Bodhisattva Lord Arya Avalokiteshvara.
Who, when and under what circumstances left these images here is still not known. However, there are popular beliefs explaining their origin.
They say that once the monks from India walked along these paths. They were heading to Zhetysu (Semirechye) and had already reached the Ili River, when a strong earthquake began. According to one version, stones that fell from the mountains blocked the way for travelers. They regarded it as a sign and turned back to their native lands. A more optimistic version of the legend says that the stones seemed to have deliberately flown from a great height into a stormy river and formed one after another into a reliable crossing. The bridge, which appeared as if by magic, is still used by local residents.
Such conflicting traditions are united by the ending: before continuing the journey, the monks carved three huge Buddha images on the rocks of Tamgaly Tas, and the words of sacred mantras were left nearby. People believe that if you touch them, any disease will recede once and for all. Such an assumption is not meaningless, because the images of the gods were left only in special places with clearly positive energy.
According to another legend, Kalmyks (nomadic tribes, ancestors of the Kazakhs) left inscriptions in the 17-18 centuries. The writing style in this case belongs to the Oirat enlightener-Buddhist Zaya Pandita Ogtorguyn.
The most improbable, perhaps, version is the following: in the fifties, Kazakhfilm shot documentaries by order of the USSR State Radio and Television. For the sake of this picture, these drawings were carved on stones. But how then to explain the fact that references to petroglyphs are found in the works of prominent ethnographers of the 19th century N. Pantusov and Sh. Ualikhanov?
Nature
But Tamgaly Tas is not only history, but also picturesque nature. The landscape, which opens from the cliffs to the Ili River, conquers at first sight.
Here it is, an ideal place to be alone, merge with nature and meditate.
And this is also a great opportunity to try real Kazakh cuisine: nearby there are yurts in which guests are treated with baursaks, koumiss, besparmak and other goodies.
Tamgaly Tas - how to get there on your own
The question is very relevant for visitors. There are two ways to get to Tamgaly Tas: by sightseeing bus or own car.
The first option is quite simple to implement - almost every travel agency in Almaty sells one-day tours to the tract. The route, as a rule, includes stops at the most prominent places in the valley, and the guide tells about them in detail.
By car, the road here will take no more than two hours. You need to go through the city of Kapchagai, Kapchagai reservoir and the Ili River. The track is pretty good, only on the last short segment does the primer begin. But driving along it is quite easy: it is securely packed with a huge stream of cars striving for an ancient relic.
Festival bringing together nations
In late April and early May, the annual international festival Tamgaly Tas is held in these places. The main part of his events has a sports orientation: mass rafting in Ili, competitions in sports mountaineering and motorcycling are held here, national games and fun are actively practiced. At the same time, artisans and simply talented personalities do not stand aside. They conduct master classes and flash mobs, demonstrate their skills at evening shows. And after dark all the "inhabitants" of the camp gather around the fire and sing bard songs.
Modern paradox
Tamgaly's petroglyphs are considered a national treasure and are even protected by UNESCO. But the Buddhist monuments do not have such protection and may soon disappear forever. Some tourists also strive to leave their “mark on history", but usually does not go beyond the banal "there were such-and-such". But who knows what will come to mind to the most inventive visitors. And the forces of nature do not leave the three gods a chance for eternal life. It is hoped that over time the situation will change for the better, and a reserve will be built here.