Still about Turkmenistan, a country in Central Asia. A country that never known by anyone and might only known from a map. On the 3rd day of my visit to this country, I spent all my times just to explore the city. Because the next day, I had to fly back to Istanbul in the early morning. After enjoying opera, named "Gorogly" (Part IV), I went to hotel to have my dinner so late, it was already 9 pm and also my friend still wanted to bring me to visit the biggest mosque in Ashgabat, named Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque as known also as Kypchak Mosque due to its location in Kypchak village.
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| One of side in Ashgabat at night |
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| View of Ashgabat at night |
Since it was already so late, so we initially decided to go to mosque only. The journey took around 15 minutes from Ak-Altyn Hotel (place I stayed) and the mosque was actually located outside the city. On the way, suddenly my friend brought me to the famous supermarket in the city, named Yimpash. He told me that it is a Turkish branded supermarket and used to visit by some foreigners especially Turkish to buy some souvenirs. On the way to go, Ashgabat at night was more beautiful with some colourful light on each buildings. Each buildings looked want to show off their own beauty by playing on the colorful lightning. My friend even said,, "Take some pictures, dont miss this chance" and well I directly took my camera out and pointed to some objects. It was really beautiful city even at night.
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| Independence Monument in Ashgabat at night |
At Yimpash, the supermarket still open and there were still many people came and went from the supermarket. We just got out from the car and suddenly there was a young man came close to us asking for small money. He looked even fresh and young, not dirty or even drunk. I was asking my friend whether I had to give this young man a small money, my friend no need. But this young man kept asking us a small money and at last my friend gave him some Manat to him and he just went away after.
Inside the supermarket, I was planning to buy some souvenirs but W.O.W the price was even more expensive than at Bazar. Well, my friend suddenly brought me to fruits and vegetables section and he told me to buy a turkmen melon, named Waharman. The shape is not like usual melon, its shape is more oval like watermelon. So I took one Waharman, the small one, since I was afraid if I bought the big one, it gonna be overload for my luggage. Sadly, I even cannot enjoy to eat Waharman with my friends when I came back due to the fruit has rotten. :( Oo yeah, I was looking for the special chocolate from Turkmenistan at Yimpash. I really like that chocolate, last time my close friend, B.O and I.G, brought one pack of this chocolate, named "Пташине Молоко" (means literally in English, Bird's Milk). This chocolate is so delicious, a soft milk like marshmellow inside and covered by the chocolate cream outside. Nyam nyam nyam.. Unfortunately I could not find this chocolate in Yimpash. So at Yimpash, I just bought one small Waharman.
After finished shopping in Yimpash, we just directly went to Gypchak Mosque. Again the view of Ahsgabat at night was so beautiful and it was like an eyegasm for me. After 10 minutes journey we arrived at Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque and it made me stop for a minute because the mosque was so beautiful even at Night. Subhanallah. My friend gave me a brief history of this mosque. This mosque was build by the first Turkmenistan President, Mr. Saparmurat Turkmenbashy and around the mosque complex it laid also a tomb of president and his family, except his wife. This mosque also claim as the biggest mosque in Turkmenistan and even in Central Asia. The mosque is built in modern architecture style, with three main gate in each side: the front gate, the left gate and the right gate. It has a big golden dome with the ornament of cressent moon on the top (a Moslem symbol) and also four small golden dome in each side. It has also four minarets stands highly with the ornament of cressent moon on the top and in every wall of minarets written "XXI ASYR - TÃœRKMENING ALTYN ASYRY" which literally means, "21th Century - Golden Century for Turkmen".
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| Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque as known also Gypchak Mosque |
I asked my friend to come inside the mosque and to ask also to the guard, whether we could enter the mosque for praying. The guard allowed us to come enter the mosque and also to perfom a prayer. He showed me the way to take Wudhu (ablution). The place to take Wudhu is on the basement of the mosque and it is so huge for a place to take Wudhu. Even it is like a maze and almost made me to get lost inside the place. After taking Wudhu, I just went upstair to see how beautiful the mosque inside. When the main door was opened, it made me speechless for awhile when I saw the interior design inside the mosque.
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| Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque at night |
The main hall of the mosque which is used to perform a prayer is so big and large. I was thinking to compare this mosque with "Istiqlal Mosque" in Jakarta which is labeled also as the biggest mosque in Southeast Asia. Unlike, Istiqlal Mosque which has 4 storey, Gypchak mosque only has one storey to accomodate 10.000 people, 10 times smaller than Istiqlal. But this mosque has unique and beautiful interior design. At the dome, it is simply designed with Islamic design with a big Arabic caligraphy in the middle, written "ALLAH". Masha Allah.
We were too much enjoying the mosque until the guard outside called us to get out from the mosque. I did not know why he did that. But when we went out the mosque, there were even many guards and that guy who allowed us before asking my friend detail about me. He was asking where I came from, what I am really a moslem, did I really do a prayer inside and many else. I just could give a smile and my friend aksed all his questions.
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| Ertugrul Gazi Mosque in Ashgabat |
I do not know exactly, how many Mosque in Ashgabat. But during my visit to Ashgabat, I just went to two big mosques, one is Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque and another one is Ertugrul Gazi Mosque. Unlike Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque which is built in modern architecture style. The Ertugrul Gazi Mosque is built following the common architecture of mosque in Turkey. The exterior and interior design are completely similar to any mosques in Turkey. It is located exactly in the city.
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| The main gate of mosque |
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| The Mimbar |
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| The interior ornament of mosque |
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| The dome interior design like many mosques in Turkey |
So finally this is my last posting about a country named +Turkmenistan and I was really enjoying and having some experience during my visit to Turkmenistan. I wish I could go back again someday to that country
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