Azerbaijan - a quick dip

The Why 

Why Azerbaijan ? 

Bukhara and Samarkand  had been in The Bucket for a long time ; surfed the Net for a group tour that included these two pins.  Found one,  a tried & tested travel company , but alas , the Uzbek tour was labeled "Sold Out". 

Scroll down . "Amazing Azerbaijan - 4N-5D "appears. 

Whats really amazing is , Azerbaijan was Terra Incognita to ignoranta-me then. 

'Why  would people want to travel to this ex-Stalinist pocket of  Central Asia - and where the heck is it actually? Near Mongolia ?".... No idea . Except that F1 Car racing is  ritualistically  flagged off here . And that the name routinely pops up at the Olympic parades......

But the itinerary casts The Bait : Petroglyphs and Mud Volcanos ! 

Decided . 

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The Tour 

Packaged group tours are convenient for lazy travelers . One just has to sacrifice the  small luxury of  having like-minded company . 

When traveling with ladies who cannot do without kachoris , theplas and loud Bollywood songs for 5 days and  travel-veterans of "28 to 30 countries" whose  enriching experience of each country and culture is entirely limited to this handbag and that scarf , it is best to develop a sturdy sense of humor . Or a deep Yogic Zone-Out. 

The overcrowded , noisy departure Gate at Delhi Airport  gave a foretaste of things to come. It was revealed why Baku attracts the tourist hoards . Just 4 hours away from Delhi , it is the most convenient ,weekend Foreign getaway  that can serve the European Flavour in an  Asian cone . Two budget class airlines to choose from  ( Indigo and Azerbaijani Airways) , hassle free E-Visa , attractively priced tours. It doesn't much matter that the Azer. Manat is obscenely stronger than the Indian Rupee , one can still return to flaunt an album full of  glamourous photos for Rs.70,000 or less . A steal ! 

Landed at Baku at 4 mins past midnight and the airport could have been at Indore or Patna for all the  racial variety one could/couldn't  spot . Compatriots, all over . Shuffling , elbowing and calling out to one another. That set the tone for the next 4 days . Compatriots ,doing ditto above, along the  Baku Boulevard  and Little Venice ( recreation plazas) , around The Icherisheher ( Old Town) , in Fountain Square & Nizami Street ( cultural and shopping hub) at the Museums, below The Flame Towers ( the City's Landmark icons) and,  not to forget , all over the "I  (heart) BAKU" selfie points. 

Yogic Zone-Out doesn't always help in shutting out the din of desis.

" yeh kya palace hai ! Isse badiya hamari Jaipur Palace ".....

" 6 Manat too much  , give for 4 Manat , I take two"..... 

" Framing all wrong ! Poda !.....,ok ,click again . With background" 

Not to be outdone , the souvenir vendors on the street contribute their mite to the ambience : "Amitabbacchan kaise hey "

 " Accha price ! Panch Manat !  Theen Manat ?.......onnu , randu , moonu, naalu..."

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Riches of The Land

Azerbaijan struck  it rich when oil wells started dispensing munificent crude oil. Two thirds of the land was sitting on  Oil and Gas ! What a bumper ! A few years ago , half the world's supply came from here.   

The earth was drilled and mined all over with such enthusiasm that some of the  Natural Fires ( as in the Ateshgah Fire temple and the "Burning Mountains" ) had their underground methane supply cut off and the fires that had burned for millenia died out or dwindled to  sampler size. In the Ateshgah ( which is now a museum)  , the " Holy Perpetual Fire" ( from which the flame was once lit for the Olympics torch)  is now fed piped gas , for the joy of Tourists. 

Thanks to the petro-boom , The Modern City side of Baku blossomed with amazing futuristic  buildings ,spectacular memorials , playgrounds, parks and roads , nonchalantly blending with Neo-Classical and  Art Deco buildings of early 20th Cent , legacy of the Soviet era. 

What if the oil reserves start drying up ? Is that why the country has started promoting Tourism in a big way ? For sure , the country is abundantly blessed with features and cultural landmarks that are tourist magnets. UNESCO has gone all out and put Azerbaijan in all sorts of  Lists . The country boasts of  Five World Heritage Sites, with 10 more on the Tentative List , Twenty Three items in The Intangible Cultural Heritage List . Among the last category is "Nawrouz" ( New Year  celebration ) which  listing it shares with  11 other countries , including India and Pakistan , where Navroz is observed by the  descendants of the same ethnic Transcaucasian stock . (UNESCO calls it "Intangible Cultural Heritage Co-operation" ). Similarly the Citation for Classical music, Lavash-making , Miniature painting, Tea culture , Carpet weaving, Silk traditions, Inlay work, Epic Literature is shared with Turkiye. No wonder the place keeps bringing Turkiye to mind at every other step. 

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Orwellian ?

The English -Speaking Guide , a pleasantly plump young lady , kept peppering her well-rehearsed briefs about each place , with so many mentions of "Our Government", "Our Culture", "Our Martyrs" , that one got an uneasy feeling of being in Russia . The huge  displays of the portrait of the President and the  mega LED screens showing the fluttering Flag , both found at all prominent Squares , added to that feeling . 

 Photographing Government  buildings is strictly prohibited ( helmeted guards , with bayonets up,  keep watch for Big Brother). The country is officially called "Azerbaijan Democratic Republic" .But the Government is described as "Unitary, Semi Presidential Republic , under Hereditary Dictatorship" Go scratch your head ! All that mattered to me was that the people looked happy and relaxed generally , in the city as well as in the  countryside. 

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 Some " !!! " Facts 

The Country's nickname is "Land Of Fire" . Baku's nickname is "City of Winds". Baku has its own flag with its heraldic symbol , showing Air, Fire, Water and Earth. 

Baku  is 28 meters below SeaLevel , the Lowest Lying Capital In The world. The sole Metropolis of the country; 25% of the land's population live here. Largest City on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. 

The Caspian Sea is not a Sea, but the World's Largest Lake with only a third of salinity of average seawater. And it is also 27 meters below sea level ! At its south side , its sea-bed is the second lowest natural non-oceanic depression on Earth . ( first is Lake Baikal) .

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Personal Favs:

1. The Museum of Miniature Books ( With a Guiness Book Citation) opened to public in 2002. The only such in the whole world . Situated within the Old Town ( BTW, though walled ,  the Old Town is still inhabited by about 1500 citizens ) . The collection is the passion of one woman, Zarifa Salahova, for tiny marvels that are not just models , but really readable books - ofcourse you need magnifying glass for many.  Categorised as Miniature, Macro-Mini, Micro-Mini and Ultra-Mini-Micro. She commissioned and collected for over 30 years , from 64 countries , more than 6500 miniature books. The oldest copy is a Quran , dated 1672  . The smallest book measures 2mm X 2mm , published in Japan. The museum has a shop too, but unfortunately closed on the day of visit.

2. National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature , named after Nizami Ganjavi , the most celebrated classical poet . The magnificent Soviet era building , which was once a Caravanserai , later remodelled like a palace, stands close to the gate of the Old Town fortress and forms the start point of the famous Nizami Street . A towering statue of the poet looms  right opposite the building  . All important writers & Poets of the region are represented with statues and stained glass portraits all around the building.  Memorabilia , original / copies of works , painted or woven scenes from their major works are arranged , writer wise, in four floors. Writers enjoy great respect and adoration in Baku . Statues and plaques bearing their likenesses are found all over parks and walls of buildings . The English-Speaking escort in the Museum said every Azeri literate citizen is fully familiar with Nizami Ganjavi's Khamsa (  Five Epics) . And he was a 12th Century poet ! Must hand it to their education system. 

3. The Sanskrit Inscriptions hailing Ganesha and Shiva and a passage of Guru Grath Sahib,  above doorways in the Ateshgah ( Fire Temple) in Surakhany Town, Baku. ( "State Historical-Architectural Reserve") . Persian Inscriptions with Zorastrian prayers are also seen . It is a curious institution , which defies classification as belonging to this or that religion. Historically , the self ignited perpetual fire was considered Holy , so venerated by people since immemorial times.  This has been recorded in a 10th cent. geographer's work . The present "temple" though,  is believed to have been built in  17th century by traders from India , used till 19th century , then abandoned . The museum has put up interpretation boards , excavated objects , dioramas etc to explain the various stages of its existence . With a "Gam Ganapathaye namah" chant on loop  in one room too ! And a modern Nataraja icon , lit to cast an impressive shadow on the old cavernous wall !  Foundations of a more ancient structure can also be seen under plate glass .

4. The bubbling and oozing Mud Volcanoes in Q(G)obustan . The windswept region with these grey-brown  mounds going "plock-plock-plock " is something out of a Sci-Fi picturebook . The bubbling in the bigger vents takes time as it forms in slow motion . sends out ripples, swells, swirls,  bobs and breaks out in a  gooey spash . It  almost seems like a thing alive . 

The drive up to the region of these mud volcanos , was an unforgettable experience. How can one forget a bone-rattling , turbulent tumble over a non-existent road , in a four-seat contraption cobbled together with wires and duct tapes above a chassis of four wheels , with only start-hurtle-stop controls, driven  by a maniac  more busy texting than  watching the  "road" ? No alternative to this transport arrangement. Only that weird "Taxi" can do that stretch , without care - because there's nothing left to get damaged in it. The engine might cough and spit on the way , but eventually runs after some coaxing. Heard that plans are afoot to create a Tourist Complex here with Quad Bikes, zip lines, observation towers, souvenir shops ( the mud is supposed to have healing qualities)  etc . Only hope, all that building activity will not disrupt the natural mud belching phenomenon . 

5. The Church of Kish ( Shaki Town ) : Admittedly of great antiquity . Now restored . And made a Museum . Apparently, local legends claim it to be the oldest Christian church built in the Caucasus , 1 CE  . No proof , though . There are about two layers of older cultic constructions under the present church , parts of which can be viewed under plate glass . Bronze Age relics that were also found in the premises are displayed nicely inside. Not getting into the historical, archeological theories , but just recording that it was one of the prettiest structures seen , in the prettiest landscape possible , prettified further with profusely  blooming rose bushes and tastefully arranged terracotta urns on manicured grass. 

6. The Petroglyphs : They call the rocky outcrops in G(Q)obustan The Stone Books because the  petroglyphs , graffiti , inscriptions , burials and other relics found here range from Mesolithic era to late Middle ages , giving insights into the life history of  Man. Though only a part of the 537 Hectare Reserve could be visited , was thrilled to see the finely etched Aurochs , the lithe lines of  magnificent deer and the Long Boats . The Human figures seemed to have uncommonly bulky calf muscles. Wonder why the ancient artist who could draw such perfectly realistic animals , could not manage the human figures so well. Had expected to see the robed Female figure pictured in the Interpretation Center . Could not. 

Explorer Thor Heyerdahl was apparently after the Long-boats , researching to see if they  yield any proof to his pet theory that  people here are descendants of  early nomads  from Norway . I guess he dint get any . 

Tried a hand on a Gaval Dash ( musical rock) - a flat rock , that produces metallic sound when struck . Such stones are claimed to be found only in Qobustan . What of the stones, carved into musical pillars,  in our Hampi ?

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Side observation

Surprisingly emancipated women . For a country that is predominantly Muslim , though not an avowed Islamic Republic, Azerbaijan seems to have treated women  rather well. This revelation came in bits and pieces . First , could not see women in hijab , even older ladies in small towns wore no head scarf. Then came the info from the Guide that women were given voting rights in 1918 -  the first Muslim majority country to enfranchise women. Gender Equality is guaranteed in their Constitution.  

There are no restrictions on Women to enter Politics , the Military, Sports or labor force ; 

 they have had a female Vice Prez (though she was the Prez's wife !) and a Lady Speaker of National Assembly . Women can become Mullahs ( but lead Women-Only gatherings).

 11 years of  Education is  free and Mandatory to all children . 

Our Guide stayed alone in  a hotel  room when she traveled to Qobustan with us .

 At the Museum of Literature , saw a 19th Cent. female poet/writer  given equal status with male litterateurs. 

When offended , city women boldly go on protest morchas . ( That the Govt. rides rough shod over Protests of any kind , is a separate issue)

Ofcourse , as anywhere else in the world , men , pickled in patriarchy , can still make life difficult for women around them , if they choose to . But at least these Women are aware of their rights. Some of their sisters, elsewhere in the world , lack that too. 

[ PS : One of the most iconic , celebrated, futuristic buildings in Baku is the mind boggling , curvy , much photographed " Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center " housing collections of modern and traditional art . It was designed by a woman ! ( Zaha Hadid - Award Winning  British-Iraqi Architect ) . 

Loved the Building. Loved the Collections. Amazed by  Artist Yue Minjun's version of Guernica . ]

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Side Observation -2 : Public rest rooms (incl: Cafes and Petrol Stations on highway stops) are "Asian type" . Hotels and Tourist interpretation Centers have Western option too. 

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Thoughts on Food

Its undoubtedly a land of hearty flesh eaters . Grass eaters are pitied. But they have the tastiest, freshest , crunchiest vegetables on table . Potatoes and Egg plants rule the cooked veggie pot. The raw salads , topped with crumbled cottage cheese are mouthwatering . Lentil soup ki jai ! And Ayran ! Jugs of it , along with jugs of  Sherbet , a kind of fruit punch made of sugar water infused with fruits and spices .  And bowls of olive.  The Lavash was a bit too chewy , the Cheese selection too salty , the deserts too sweet. 

At the Hotels , since 85% of guests are ( regularly)  our Desi brethren , the breakfast spread included Rajma-Chawal , Paratha-Chana Masala , Steamed Rice-yoghurt. 

And in the commercial and touristy hub , rubbing shoulders with Gucci , Bulgari and Tissot showrooms are "Curry Corner" , "Maharani Indian" , "Masala Junction", Namaste India" and allied  cliches . Inspite of the Travel company's advisory that "Vegetarian and Vegan Food is not easy to find in Azerbaijan" , no grass eater will ever go hungry in bewitching Baku. Or in Gabbala , where a "Malabar" dishes up rice , roti and dals aplenty. 

Co-Traveling fellow grass-eaters greatly relished the fare and had to lug back home more than half their cargo of Kachoris , Theplas and 2-Minute Pohas, unused. 

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Song & Dance 

Of course, the nice Tour Organisers always manage to treat us to  samples of local Cultural performances . So, as we tucked in the food at a Heritage Music Restaurant , a beautifully costumed pair danced a Folk number , another  costumed pair sang to the accompaniment of a lute and a drum and finally a suited-booted-bow-tied gentleman serenaded our table , playing a Bollywood song on his  the violin , ending  it with "Awara hoon ....." 

Please let Raj Kapoor rest , Russi bhai-jans !

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