Photos

Silkroad travels: Pamir
The market in Murghab (Tajik Мурғоб ) is not the most colorful or rich in the world. But the picture allows for some observations. The market stands are made up in part of Soviet military equipment. The wares available are from China (even the baseball hat of the boy), foodstuff from Osh /Kyrgyzia.

The Kyrgyz people make up about half of the 4'000 inhabitants, the other half are Tajiks from Wakhan or other parts of Badakshan. Kyrgyz men often wear a kalpak. The women reportedly don't cover their faces for religious reasons but to avoid the sun and the tan. There are several languages spoken: Kyrgyz, Tajik, Wakhi, Shugni and Rushani. Ismailit Islam and Kyrgyz Sunni Islam coexist peacefully and I believe that they use the same mosque (not verified though). Interestingly there seem to be no tensions between different ethnies. People are proud to learn English and even Chinese in school.

Public transportation is sporadic. You have to inquire on the market for the weekly Marshrutka (a Russian-german word). New cars made in Urümqi/ China are passing here every day, they are delivered for sale to Dushanbe and to Tashkent. But the vehicles available in Murghab are all Soviet vintage. A problem for Murghab is the continuous and permanent emigration of the most qualified people to Bishkek or to Dushanbe. Efforts are made to increase the production of exportable idems like cheese or woollen garments. The traditional milk produce are sir, kefir, kurut (= hard yoghurt balls; I bit a tooth out with one of them!) and butter, all more or less unfit for exportation. Some Swiss and other guys try to encourage the production of exportable Gruyère and Roblechon by giving seminars to women.

Murghab was founded as Pomirski Post at the end of the 19th century by Russia during the power struggle with Great Britain in Central Asia. It was the highest permanent settlement (3605 m asl) of the Soviet Union. The uniform pieces you see are Russian; Russian troups left Tajikistan only in 2006/2007.

I gleaned some information from Wikipedia and from http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conradosc/tajikistan-2004/1096657500/tpod.html (thanks, Conrad!)