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EveryParampara

Traditions of Ashgabat

The capital of Turkmenistan, where the Akhal-Teke horse and hand-knotted carpet are objects of national pride.

Ashgabat lies at the foot of the Kopet Dag mountains. Turkmen traditions revolve around the carpet, the horse and the felt tent. The Turkmen carpet is a national symbol, and each tribe, such as the Teke, Yomut and Ersari, has its own pattern. A carpet day is celebrated in spring.

Ashgabat
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Carpets and horses

Women weave carpets by hand, each with a guls design that identifies a tribe, and a bride may bring several. The Akhal-Teke horse, bred for centuries for endurance, has a metallic sheen. Turkmen also keep poetry singing by bakhshi, who accompany themselves on a two-string dutar, in the countryside.

At the table

Meat and bread are central. Plov, called palaw, and ishlekli, a meat pie, are served at gatherings. Chal is a sour camel milk drink. Green tea is served in the daily guest ceremony, and a table is never cleared until the guest has had enough.

Signature traditions of Ashgabat

Also part of it, and being written: Turkmen carpet (The woven carpets of Turkmenistan.), Akhal-Teke (The Turkmen horse.), Bakhshi (The singer-storytellers.).

A trail idea for Ashgabat

  1. Tolkuchka Bazaar A Sunday market of carpets and camels.
  2. Turkmen Carpet Museum See very large and very old rugs.
  3. Yangykala Colourful canyons beyond the city.
About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

KindSpiritualFestivalRite of passageTable customSeasonalDressPerformanceEtiquetteCraftGameFolkloreHomeCeremony
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperTea-time and snacking customsTea, coffee and drinking ceremoniesSweets given and sharedFeasts and festival mealsFasting and breaking the fast
🇹🇲 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan and 2 moreTurkmen rugTürkmen haly Handmade textiles woven by Turkmen tribes, featuring geometric patterns and natural dyes.Craft 🇹🇲 Ashgabat, TurkmenistanMelon Day A nationwide summer holiday in Turkmenistan honoring the country's prized melonsTable custom

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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