UzA’s new project: “Returning to the Past...”

“Remembering the past is a noble cause”, said the great writer Abdulla Qodiriy. Indeed, by studying history and learning valuable lessons, a person realizes his place in time and space and chooses his path in life.

UzA’s new project “Returning to the Past...” aims to promote information about the country’s unique path and past events.

As part of the project, photo reports dedicated to historical monuments, museums, holy places of worship, and objects reflecting Uzbekistan’s rich history and our ancestors’ spiritual heritage will be posted.

The first article of the project is dedicated to the house museum of Abdulla Qodiriy.

This museum was created in 2019 on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the writer in the house on Samarkand Darvoza Street, Shaykhantakhur district of Tashkent, where he lived and created his great works.

The house museum plays a vital role in presenting to our contemporaries the life and creative path of a person who left an indelible mark on the history of Uzbek literature and his rich heritage and in introducing the historical appearance of the capital.

The writer’s grandson, literary scholar Khondamir Qodiriy, now lives in this house.

In the center of the courtyard of the house museum, there is a monument to the writer. Sculptor Bakhrom Norboyev captured the image of a writer with a book in his hand, his thoughtful gaze directed into the distance.

The two-story veranda, built in 1928 by Abdulla Qodiriy, is preserved in the courtyard, where writers and artists Alexey Tolstoy, Sufizoda, Oybek, Komil Yashin, Gafur Gulom, Sadriddin Aini, Abdulla Qahhor, Yusufjon qiziq Shakarjonov, Hamid Olimjon, Yunus Rajabi often gathered. On this veranda, Abdulla Qodiriy created his works “The Days Gone By”, “Scorpion from the Altar”, “Obid-Ketmon”.

Abdulla Qodiriy was not only a writer but also a good gardener. He lovingly cared for every tree planted in the yard and shared the fruits of his small garden with everyone. The writer was hospitable, welcoming everyone who came to his house – be it a craftsman, an official, a laborer, or a representative of the intelligentsia.

The house museum has four rooms, two exhibition halls, and one conference room for meetings, conversations, and memorial evenings.

The carved entrance door, the writer’s office, his clothes, sandalwood, kurpachas (lightweight quilted mattress) in niches, household items, porcelain dishes – everything reminds of the environment of that time. Abdulla Qodiriy’s office and exhibition hall display paintings reflecting his spiritual heroism, newspapers, magazines in which his early works and first books were published, and famous novels and works translated into different languages.

In the courtyard, a two-wheeled cart attracts the attention of visitors.

In the novel “The Days Gone By”, the author reflected the 12-day journey of Mirzakarim-qutidor, Oftob oyim and Kumushbibi from Margilan to Tashkent, to the house of Yusufbek Khoji on the “Quqon Arava” cart. Such a cart was specially made by Fergana artisans and presented as a gift to the house museum.

The beginning of the 20th century in our people’s history was marked by a period of national awakening. This period, associated with the formation and activities of the Jadid Movement, covered all spheres of the people’s spiritual life, introducing updates into the development process of fiction. During this period of radical transformations, the genius Abdulla Qodiriy entered the world of literary creativity. Almost all of the writer’s works are permeated with the ideas of Jadidism and national patriotism.

Abdulla Qodiriy’s work is a school of incomparable patriotism for our compatriots. The atmosphere of the house museum reflects this spirit.

Visiting such house museums, the exhibits of which testify to the heroism and complicated past of our ancestors, who served the Motherland and forever remained in the people’s memory, has excellent educational value. The life and work of our great ancestors are a real example.