Nurabad – The Land of Flowers and Cool Springs
Nurabad is one of the paradisiacal corners of sunny Tajikistan with a thousand-year history. The brave sons of the fortress city of Darband protected the villages and cities from enemy invasions, the craftsmen of this land created works of art and everyday objects, and the scholars, poets, and singers introduced the inhabitants of other lands to the beauties of their magnificent mountainous region, which is now called Nurabad.
Nurabad is a historical area, known in the distant past as the fortress city of Darband. Darband, which is 3,000 years old, was a center of trade, art, science, and culture. To this day, traces of the ancient fortresses Imlok and Jumhur remain in this area. They testify to the glorious past of Darband, which serves as the gateway to the two valleys of Karategin and Darvaz. The Great Silk Road passed through this city, and its inhabitants undoubtedly had close trade, economic, and cultural ties with other regions.
This land is also famous for the names of its sons – scholars and thinkers who lived from the 17th to the 20th centuries: Hazrat Sultan Hussein, Domulla Hakimi Chavkar, Domulla Khudoydod, Khoja Shamsuddin Imami, Eshon Shohi, Sheikh Abulkhaya Mujiharfi, and others.
The Nurabad district was established in 1936 under the name Komsomolabad, renamed Darband in 1995, and in 2003, it became known as Nurabad. It is located in the eastern part of the republic. The district's territory stretches from the border of Rogun city to Rasht for a distance of 92.7 km. Nurabad also borders the Vahdat district to the north, the Tavildara district, and the Muminabad district of Khatlon province to the south. The district is divided into the town of Darband and 6 rural communities – Hakimi, Mujiharf, Komsomolabad, Safedchashma, Izatullo Halimov, and Khumdoni.
Only Mountains Can Be Better Than Mountains...
Nurabad is a prosperous and beautiful land in Tajikistan, known for its fresh air, medicinal flowers and plants, clean streams, rivers, and majestic mountains. In the district, there are more than 1,000 large and small healing springs, such as Vogland in the village of Siyahgulak, Hazrati Sultan in the village of Yakhch, Kavgakon in the village of Degai, and Yunur in the village of Yunur. The Vogland spring is considered one of the richest and purest. The spring is located in a charming place, which is a site of pilgrimage. From time immemorial to this day, the Vogland spring has been considered a sacred place. Travelers and locals come here to rest by the cool water and watch the fish swim.
Two major rivers, Surkhob and Khingob, flow through Nurabad district, merging in Saripul district to form the rushing Vakhsh River. The district is also home to smaller rivers like Mujiharf, Hakimi, Lugurob, Zumanak, and Degai. Besides the major rivers and streams, lakes such as Samsolik, Iston, Hazrati Shoh, Sarijar, and Javochi can be found here.
Nurabad district is a treasure trove of 500 types of medicinal plants. Herbalists and pharmacists from all over the country use plants like wild rue (sepand), basil, mountain mint, wild onion (anzur), dill, juniper, purple flower, almonds, and hundreds of other flowers, shrubs, and trees native to this area. Rare birds and animals such as hawks, eagles, falcons, owls, crows, nightingales, bears, woodpeckers, mountain argali, and others can also be found here.
The Glorious History of Darband
Many historians and travelers have written about the ancient city of Darband. The city of Darband is one of the oldest and largest cities in Central Asia, having played an important role in the history and civilization of the Tajik people.
In the Middle Ages, Darband was a border fortress. Scholars believe that the term "darband," reflected in the city’s name, is linked to this concept, formed from the words "dara" and "band," meaning "barrier in a gorge." The fortress city of Darband served as a border point and was part of the natural defensive system of Rasht, blocking enemy raids.
In 1980, a group of archaeologists led by the famous Tajik historian Yusufsho Yakubov conducted excavations near the modern city of Darband and found many stone tools, burnt bricks, and water pipes in the fortresses of Imlok and Jumhur. Scientists believe these tools were made and used by people more than 3,000 years ago. These findings and documents also prove that this region was once prosperous, with the development of crafts, construction, and culture.
Later research showed that the castle and houses of Darband were built from fired bricks. The total area of the ancient city, including the palace of the local ruler, other administrative and residential buildings, was about 70 hectares. The city reached its peak during the reign of the Achaemenids, as indicated by most historical data.
Nurabad is Calling You
Tourism development in the region is reflected through its diverse potential: beautiful landscapes, mountain streams, springs, historical and sacred sites, and other attractions of interest to tourists and visitors. The main direction of this region is the development of ecotourism, including hiking, horseback riding, rafting, fishing, and hunting. The town of Darband is located on the international highway "Vahdat - Rasht - Lakhsh - Kyrgyzstan border" in the Vakhsh River valley, which makes it convenient for tourists and guests to visit. The district has 2 hotels, 3 restaurants, 12 eateries, a museum, a regional airport, historical and cultural sites, sacred places, natural ecological objects, as well as a craft center and several shops selling tourist items. Prices in the hotels are affordable, starting from 200 somoni. The rooms provide good conditions for visitors. Nurabad is rich in herbs and plants beneficial to humans. It's no surprise that these form the basis of many dishes in local homes, restaurants, and teahouses. In the spring-summer period, the people of Nurabad often prepare "Oshi Tupa" or "Oshi Burida." The dish resembles Kazakh beshbarmak and Uzbek lagman. The base is homemade dough, cut into either squares or wide noodles. Soaked chickpeas, beans, and other available legumes are added to the meat broth. The cooking process should result in a thick consistency, and the final touch in serving the dish is a generous topping of chopped tomatoes, greens, and onions. It’s not only delicious but also very healthy. The more greens, the tastier. It is recommended for people recovering from illness to eat "Oshi Burida," as this dish is dietary and rich in vitamins. Of course, local eateries also serve other eastern dishes, such as plov, mantu, kebabs, khomshurbo, sambusa, qurutob, and more. All of these can be enjoyed at the restaurants and eateries of Nurabad—like "Shomi Khumdon," "Oshkhonai Daler," "Oshkhonai Ziyorat," "Oshkhonai Abdullo," and others—or by visiting any local resident's home.
The Sounds of Mountains in Folk Music
The people of Nurabad have always shown interest in poetry and music. Many musical instruments were made by local craftsmen. This tradition has been preserved to this day. Craftsmen create several types of national musical instruments: stringed, percussion, and wind instruments, such as dutor, doira, gijjak, tambur, and others. Nurabad craftsmen believe that woodworking and leatherworking skills alone are not enough. To become a master of musical instruments, one must feel each sound, hear the voices of the nature of their native land, and love music and poetry. The craftsmen are glad that with the revival of folk traditions, attitudes toward traditional musical instruments have somewhat changed. After all, only with folk instruments can ancient song genres like shashmaqom and falak be performed.
Folk Games of Nurabad
Active folk games have been a reflection of the cultural and everyday life of the Tajiks since ancient times. This is evidenced by historical and archaeological monuments, works of classical Tajik literature, and research by Soviet and foreign scholars. The conditions of some games imitated herding, hunting wild animals, and birds. In children's games, stones or animal bones were often used. In the mountainous areas, including Nurabad, many folk games are played with stones, which are abundant in the mountains.
Sangzanak – "Throwing Stones." This game has been popular for centuries and has survived to the present day. It is usually played between two players. One throws a small stone at a distance of 8-10 meters. The other player tries to hit the stone with their own. If they miss, it's the first player’s turn again. Most collective active games among the Tajiks end with players carrying each other—i.e., the losing players must carry the winners on their backs to a specified place.
Sangchin – "Collect the Stones." This game is common among Tajik girls, especially in mountain villages. The player holds a stone in her palm, then, while tossing it up, tries to quickly grab several stones from a pile on the ground. She must also catch the tossed stone in time.
Huruz Jang – "Rooster Fight." The typical version of this widespread game is as follows: two players stand in a circle on one leg, their hands behind their backs, and, while hopping, try to push each other out of the circle. Tajiks from different regions have their own versions. Another version: two players in the circle lift their left leg backward, holding it with their left hand, and with their right hand over their head, they hold their left shoulder. In this position, they try to push each other out of the circle using their shoulders. Whoever drops their leg or hand loses. Meanwhile, the folk pastime of "Huruz Jang" is still alive in Tajikistan. But it’s no longer a children's or men's game—now it’s real rooster fights. Such spectacular battles are usually held on national holidays.
How to Get to Nurabad?
From Dushanbe airport or any other point in the capital, you need to get to the terminal on the eastern outskirts of the city, where the taxi stands heading to the eastern districts, including Nurabad, are located. The cost from the airport to this terminal by taxi is $2.5-$3. Here, taxi drivers usually gather a full set of passengers and start the journey. The cost of 1 seat in a taxi depends on the season and averages around $8-$9. The distance from Dushanbe to the center of Nurabad district is 155 km.
Nurabad District
Part of: Cities and districts of republican subordination
Includes: 1 urban-type settlement, 6 rural communities
Administrative center: Urban-type settlement Darband
History and geography:
  • Date of establishment: January 19, 1936
  • Area: 7127.8 km²
  • Time zone: UTC+5
  • Population: 73,000 (2023)
  • Nationalities: Tajiks
  • Religious composition: Muslims
  • Official languages: Tajik
Digital identifiers:
  • Abbreviation: DA
  • ISO code 3166-2: TJ.RR.DA
  • Phone code: +992 3133
  • Postal codes: 737450
  • Internet domain: .tj
  • Vehicle registration code: 01RT


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