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Talas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For medieval city of "Talas" see Taraz.
Talas is a small town in northwestern Kyrgyzstan, located in a long valley between two imposing mountain ranges. Its geographical location is and its population is 32,538 (as of 1999). It is the administrative headquarters of Talas province. Its economy traditionally oriented towards the city of Taraz (once named Zhambyl or Dzhambul) in present day Kazakhstan, the Talas valley has suffered severely from the imposition of rigid border controls by Kazakhstan following the demise of the Soviet Union, as transport and trade links to the rest of Kyrgyzstan are now constrained by the formidable mountains separating it from the Chui Valley and Bishkek. The only motorable road to Bishkek and the rest of the country rises to a height of more than 3500 m above sea level before descending in many turns to the Chui Valley and Bishkek.
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The mythical Kyrgyz national hero, Manas, is said to have been born in the Ala Too mountains in Talas oblast. A few kilometers outside Talas lies a mausoleum, supposedly that of Manas. However, the inscription on its richly-decorated facade dedicates it to "...the most glorious of women Kenizek-Khatun, the daughter of the Emir Abuka". Legend explains that Manas' wife Kanikey ordered a deliberately false inscription in order to mislead her husband's enemies and prevent the desecration of his body. The building, known as "Manastin Khumbuzu" or "The Ghumbez of Manas", is thought to have been built in 1334. It now contains a museum dedicated to the epic. A ceremonial mound also lies nearby.
The Battle of Talas (751 CE), fought between forces of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and those of the Arab Abbasid Caliphate, took place somewhere along the Talas River in the Talas valley. One of its indirect outcomes was the introduction of paper to the west, via the Arab capture of Chinese paper makers.