Original subtitles

The Orient even in difficult times,

the yearning for the beauty

and the mystery of the East is undiminished.

But many places in Iran and Uzbekistan

draw few visitors.

Travelers are deterred by supposed dangers.

(mournful Eastern music)

But for that reason, a journey from Isfahan to Samarkand

through hidden deserts and mountains

remains one of the great dream routes

for friends of the Orient.

It is a legendary journey.

(music rising)

(marionettes chattering)

(truck thundering)

(haunting music sustaining)

(truck rolling)

The road to the most famous cities of the Orient

from Isfahan to Mashhad

and onto Bukhara and Samarkand

is more than 2,200 kilometers long.

Our journey begins in Isfahan,

the home of many ruling dynasties.

Safavids, Sassanids, Seljuqs, Mongols and Arabs

have all left their traces in Iran

where minarets and the domes of mosques

and madrassas abound.

(haunting music)

The colors, ornamentation and calligraphy

on the huge Imam Square, once known as the King's Square

immerse the visitor in a strange but enchanting world.

Isfahan is a magnet for pilgrims from all over the country.

Foreigners too are drawn here

to the Islamic Republic of Iran,

some harbor fears, which a young graduate

from the religious school, a Moola

by the name of Muhammad impressively dispels.

In Arabic language, he says (speaks in foreign language)

it means travel in the earth and look at what

happened in the history for someone

who reject and deny truth.

And I think it's a really great point

when you travel and in everywhere

in all over the world,

just look at the history.

What happened to them?

What happened to the people in the past,

some Kings, some ordinary people

who followed the truth,

who reject that?

And it's a great verse about death.

I can tell you, you have heard

lots of things about Islam,

lots of things about Iran.

Iran is very dangerous.

Lots of explosion,

Muslim people are terrorists.

They always carry some knife.

And I can tell you,

look at me, I'm an Iranian. (guffaws)

And even I studied in seminary school and here is Iran.

Here is in the middle of the Iran in Isfahan.

And I will tell you something,

you cannot reject that,

Iran is the safest place in the Middle East.

Yeah.

And the only way to prove it

is come Iran and look at how is Iran.

(Uplifting Middle-Eastern music)

The river that should

normally flow through Isfahan

and link its historic bridges is called Zayandeh Rood,

the River of Life.

But because of drought, the water is pumped off

to other parts of the country,

an indication of the growing

ecological problems Iran is facing.

But even without water Isfahan's bridges

from the Safavid Era era are still among

the great attractions of Persian architecture,

reminders of the heyday of Oriental art and culture

along the Silk Road.

(church bells tolling)

And in Isfahan church bells still ring out

in the Armenian quarter, even today.

In addition to a Jewish community,

Isfahan offered craftsman and artists

from Christian countries a home.

Oriental tolerance.

(people chattering)

Located in the Bazaar is the studio of Mr. Okhovat,

a master of the ancient Persian art of miniature painting.

(uplifting string music)

He draws his motifs from the love poetry

written by Hafiz and Saadi.

Mr. Okhovat never abandoned his art even in difficult times.

Even when virtually everyone stopped traveling to Iran,

he remained true to his art

because he says it is deeply

rooted in the soul of Persia.

(speaking in foreign language)

Iranians enjoy life and love poems

about flowers and nightingales

Their favorite poets are Hafiz and Saadi,

who's verse is extremely sensitive and full of emotion.

These sensitivities are the reason

why people like these miniatures, enjoy poetry

and sing the poems of Hafiz and Saadi.

(speaking in foreign language)

Just as this art was able to survive difficult times

over a thousand years, it will continue

to survive in the future because people need this art

and the joy it gives them.

(people buzzing)

Nearby is another store which

is linked to Iran's ancient image.

Here, Mr. Hossim sells Persian carpets,

along with Aladdin's magic lamp.

Carpets are the classic symbols of the Orient.

(speaking in foreign language)

For Mr. Hasseem, carpets are far more than a commodity.

They're his life.

The most interesting thing

about these sort of pieces is that

these are nomadic pieces and they think and make.

All the design comes from their imagination.

If I show you all my carpet

you can never find two exactly the same

because they think and make.

And then we have classical carpets

like these style, this is a classical carpet.

(carpet thuds)

And to make something like this,

there is pattern design, the look and they make.

You don't see any inconsistencies.

But if you go to these are full,

and that's the beauty of the carpet,

that they make it with love

and they made it with heart.

I'm very proud of telling this

that I'm an Iranian carpet dealer

because it's the third biggest business

after petrol and gas.

A carpet like this, it takes at least a year to make.

Unfortunately it's getting less and less

because people they prefer to work in factories

than earn some money and not to spend a couple of months.

(percussive Eastern music)

Our journey through Iran begins.

It takes us into the desert from Isfahan to Yazd.

Day and night, heavy trucks thunder

over the well-constructed roads,

taking goods from the Arabian Sea

to all corners of the country.

(trucks thundering)

(music sustaining)

The hallmark of Yazd are its towers of silence

which date back to the days of the Zoroastrian Fire Cult.

In ancient Iran, the bodies of deceased

followers of Zarathustra were laid out

for wild birds to feed on.

The remains were then swept into a pit

at the center of each tower.

(people chattering)

Zoroastrian Fire Temples can still

be seen all over the country.

The one in Yazd is particularly beautiful.

The teachings of Zarathustra were the widespread

religions in Persia 800 years Before Christ

and long before Arab invaders

brought Islam into the country.

Today, the flame of the ancient religion is tolerated

more than Islamic minorities, dervishes or Sufis.

(fire crackling)

(people praying faintly)

There are many traces of history in Yatz.

In the past, desert cities everywhere

were cooled and ventilated with wind towers.

Ancient qanats provided an underground supply

of water via pipes and channels.

(Eastern string music)

The town is a busy place.

(children chatting)

Schoolgirls visit mosques and Madrassas with their teachers.

Islamic religious instruction, so to speak.

(religious call and answering)

Their fathers are busy elsewhere.

(drums banging)

In the mornings, men of all ages, wearing sports shirts

and shorts gather to pray.

(praying in foreign language)

(drums beating)

To the sound of drums, dozens of men

start to perform gymnastic exercises

in a ritual training program, known as Zohkane.

Zokane, too, dates back to pre-Islamic times

and has remained an institution through to the present day.

(drums beating)

The ceremony is led by the drummer, Ali Reza Hajafi

(man vocalizing)

(speaking in foreign language)

People in Persia love and respect

this form of sport.

They practice it because they see it

as a timeless legacy from their forefathers.

It's a kind of monument

to the physical training of bygone days.

This is a martial tradition that has

been handed down from our ancestors.

People enjoy this form of sport,

but because it is difficult,

not everyone is able to perform the strength exercises.

The warming up program is

followed by work with clubs.

The size and weight of the clubs used

depends on the age and physical

condition of each participant.

It is a training program for male associations that can

be compared with the Turner movement in Europe.

(man singing in foreign language)

People kept fit without weapons

especially in times when superior forces

from Arabia occupied the country.

(men singing in foreign language)

The songs being sung today

are in honor of Ali, the Prophet's son-in-law.

(men singing in foreign language)

(speaking in foreign language)

The youth must accept the experience

of those who are older

and they must pass on the doctrine of consideration

and care for others, to the younger generation.

They must teach them how to look after the community.

This is the only sport that can be performed

in every age group, it combines

both religion and character development.

(speaking in foreign language)

(traditional percussive music ringing)

Exercising with heavy iron bows

indicated the old para-military character of Zohkane.

(man vocalizing)

(bow rattling)

(drums peaking)

In the concluding whirling dance

each participant shows his agility

and power of expression.

This can even lead to a trans-like state

which in the past characterized the dervishes.

(rhythmic clapping and drumming)

(trucks buzzing)

(relaxing percussive music)

Our journey continues along busy motorways.

Today, because of the long embargo

imposed by the West many goods enter Iran

by land and sea from China and India.

Changes on an ancient trade route

which takes us from Yazd to Kerman.

(mournful traditional music continuing)

The focal point of every historic town

in Iran is the bazaar (people chattering)

which also usually embraces tea houses,

bath houses and mosques.

Life here pulsates, and the range of goods on offer

enables conclusions to be drawn

as to the situation in the country.

On markets in Iran cheap goods from China dominate

and are displacing local handicrafts.

But for many young families on a lower income,

this is a blessing.

(baby fussing)

(people buzzing)

Shortly before Nowruz, the Persian New Year,

every family buys seven talismans known as Haft Seen.

The sales assistant explains the symbolism.

(saleslady speaking in foreign language)

[Female translator] This is a special table decoration

which we call Sofreh Haft Seen,

the table with the seven symbols.

Just as St. Nicholas heralds the advent of Christmas

in other countries, we have Hajji Firuz and Nane Sarma.

Nane Sarma comes to every town

and ends the coldness of winter.

The cultural symbols of our New Year are,

Ser, garlic; Serkeh, vinegar; Seb, Apple;

Samah, spicy fruit; Senjed, mulberry or dried olives;

and Samanu, a sweet pudding made from wheat.

Each of these symbols stands for something.

Ser, garlic, for health and wellbeing.

Serkeh, vinegar, for along life and patience.

Seb, apple, for loving care and the beautiful image

of planting an apple seed in the ground

and one day harvesting apples from the tree.

Senjed, the wild olive or mulberry

stands for love and compassion.

A decorative goldfish as a gift

is also an absolute must.

(birdsong)

(suspenseful music)

Iran and the entire Orient are covered

by a network of tombs where Sufi Saints were laid to rest.

Shah Nimatullah Vali was a Sufi Master

and his shrine near Kerman is visited

by large numbers of Pilgrims.

Islamic law in Iran regards Sufism

as a form of superstition,

however the tombs of the saints are tolerated.

After all, the Sufi's were mediators

between popular beliefs and incoming Islam.

Today, the dervishes of Shah Nimatullah Vali

are scattered world-wide

and the order is led from London.

(cheerful Eastern music)

Our journey is becoming more and more

of an adventure with snow covered mountains,

high passes and salt deserts by the roadside.

There are over 50 arid regions in Iran

and the Lut Desert is the biggest,

hottest and most desolate collection of sand

and salt in the country.

It's also part of the world's natural heritage.

(reflective music)

In Summer temperatures of up to 70 degrees Celsius

have been recorded here.

The Lut Desert is famous for the mystical sand formations

created solely by wind and erosion.

The kaluds, as they're known.

Strangers rarely venture into this hostile

and sparsely populated region.

But it's on the edge of the desert

we encounter human life once again,

a camel breeder looking after his animals.

During the daytime, the camels roam freely.

At night, they're tethered again

in the vicinity of the village.

The animals are fed roots,

which have been dug out of the sand

and seem to be very tasty.

(wind pumping)

The camel breeder examines his animals

for any possible injuries or bite wounds.

He also frees them from the biggest

and most annoying plague, in the desert, ticks.

Mohammed told us about his life here.

(camel braying and flubbering)

(speaking in foreign language)

The region here is really arid

because it hardly ever rains.

So to feed the camels, I have to buy

straw, barley and other things.

Even so you can still live well here

as a camel breeder,

if only God would let more rain fall,

but Spring will soon be here.

Then this is a paradise for breeders and camels.

The animals provide us with good milk

and there's a big demand for their meat,

which fetches high prices.

What is more than camels are used to people.

They are tame, so you can ride them

and take part in races.

(man continuing in foreign language)

Most of the villages keep their own camels and sheep.

There is also a bit of agriculture here,

mainly cereals and dates.

The best profit is made from selling dates,

but the powerful wind and storms

in the desert are a problem.

Harvests are affected and sometimes even destroyed.

Otherwise there are more than enough

dates to be gathered here.

(camel contributing)

The name of the village is Deh-Sum.

The central government has provided bricks

for every household.

It is March and people here find the pleasant

28 degree temperature rather fresh.

In summer it gets twice as hot.

(engine purring)

(speaking in foreign language)

(water splashing)

The New Year festival is approaching

and in keeping with tradition,

every household washes its carpets beforehand.

(women chattering)

Women in the desert wear bright colors,

a pleasant contrast to the black garments

seen in the towns.

But before filming these women,

you first need the permission of their husbands or fathers.

(speaking in foreign language)

In Deh Sum there is a modern workshop

where carpets are woven.

It's available to all the women.

So anyone who has the time can work here.

The money earned from selling the carpets is shared out.

This is highly unusual.

And the result of work by an Iranian foundation,

which is striving to improve the quality of life

of women in the countryside.

(loom clicking)

(women chattering)

The women are open, but shy and reserved when addressed.

They don't want to say the wrong thing

to visitors from abroad.

So it takes a while before we can start up a conversation.

(chattering continues)

(speaking in foreign language)

[Female translator] The women in the village

work just as hard as the men.

There is no difference.

The day begins with household duties.

The women make dough and bake bread.

Afterwards they go to the fields

and cut grass for the sheep.

Only then do they go on to the weaving shop

and make mats and carpets.

Women here show a lot of commitment.

They really work hard.

The villagers are hospitable and curious as well.

They get the accommodation ready

and go to great lengths in preparing the food.

They like foreign visitors and take good care of them.

I don't really know what else to say.

(laughing)

(dough slapping)

Mrs. Mohammadi is self-confident

and not a bit shy.

She doesn't have a husband to tell her

what she can and can't do

and her brother doesn't interfere either.

Persian women are self-assured,

but in the countryside, fathers, brothers and husbands

are far more dominant than in the towns and cities.

From time immemorial bread has been baked

with the simplest of means in an earth oven.

Every village, every region has a slightly different style.

Sometimes the loaf is thicker sometimes longer,

but above all, it is the different

decoration and texture that show where a loaf comes from.

The daily demand for bread is huge.

It's eaten at every meal, preferably oven fresh and crispy.

(inspirational music)

Iran is four times the size of Germany and full of history.

Like here by the roadside,

excavation sites can be seen everywhere.

This for example is a 400 year old

clay-built city from Safavid times.

Even a layman can easily recognize

traces of cultural achievements, wind towers,

sewage and water supply systems,

Pagodas, defensive walls and caravan (indistinct).

(music sustains)

Wherever you go and whatever you see,

as a traveler in Iran from day to day,

your respect grows for the history and culture

of an ancient people.

We're approaching an important city on the silk route.

Mashad is a commercial center

and the holiest place of Shiite Islam on Iranian soil.

(city buzzing)

Every year, more than 30 million pilgrims travel

to Mashad to visit the mausoleum of Imam Reza.

The tomb is also of enormous commercial importance.

Pilgrims stay in hotels, go shopping, make donations,

and very often bequeath their entire estate to the shrine.

This is one reason for the vast wealth

of Iran's second biggest city.

The Holy precinct around the tomb

of the eighth Imam Reza is well guarded.

Every Pilgrim tries to linger here for as long as possible.

Being allowed to experience without prejudice,

members of another religion on their

most important pilgrimage is a memorable experience.

(people buzzing)

Journeying on towards Bukhara and Samarkand,

we reach Uzbekistan.

(relaxing Eastern music)

The mountains of Uzbekistan are just bidding

farewell to winter and spring has yet to arrive.

People are yearning for warmer days

and are preparing to celebrate the new season

with the Nowruz festival.

In Iran this Spring festival lasts for 10 days.

In Uzbekistan, everything is focused on just one day.

(mincer turning)

Using sprouting, winter-barley, oil, flour, and walnuts

women in the villages spend many hours preparing

a dish called Sumaluk.

It is a tradition that is said to go back

to the Mongol Khan Temur.

(children chattering)

The neighbors already gathering the early morning

to stir the mass in a large vat and boil it.

(drums beating festively)

(people conversing)

The mood is cheerful and getting increasingly exuberant.

(traditional drum rattles)

(child vocalizing)

In the afternoon, after many hours,

the Sumaluk has the right consistency

and can be dished out as the official food

at the New Year festival.

(drum continues)

By now, celebrations are taking place everywhere.

Uzbekistan is not an Islamic Republic

and women are allowed to dance and rejoice in public.

(traditional music ringing out)

The state-organized New Year celebration

for the surrounding towns and villages takes place

in the middle of the countryside.

Uzbekistan's most expensive pop stars have been hired.

They charge up to $6,000 to perform at weddings.

(singing in foreign language)

It's an official festival for the whole family

positioned somewhere between folklore and pop,

between the traditional and the modern.

For more than two generations Uzbekistan

was a Soviet Republic.

It is not only at the New Year's festival,

that the behavior patterns of that epoch is still visible.

(man announcing)

The men and boys in the mountains celebrate New Year in the

traditional way with a wild

equestrian game known as Kupkari.

A tractor transports a dead sheep

into the step and each rider tries

to take possession of it.

The rules are simple.

It's illegal to hit someone in the face

insult an opponent or drink vodka.

However, only serious violations are punished.

Injuries are par for the course.

(announcer speaking in foreign language)

the commentator whips up the contest and praises

the riders bringing back the sheep.

Besides prestige, money and other prizes beckon.

The passion for this sport seems infinite

and the contests go on for hours.

(commentator enthusing)

(children chattering)

The Sumaluk now has the right consistency,

the dish is honored

and the anticipation of enjoying

this special New Year's

pudding can be felt everywhere.

Something that has been cooking for so long, must be good.

And the Mongol Khans saw Sumaluk as a source of energy

and protection against illness,

nothing wrong with having a quick taste.

The New Year's dish is distributed to every household

and every family member.

The taste is strange, a bit like

bitter sweet beer with nutty starch.

But at all events for people here,

it is a long-awaited delicacy.

(child enthuses)

(relaxing string music)

In Uzbekistan we have been invited by a family

that has been living in the Sufi-tradition for generations.

And it's thus closer to Oriental law than normal Uzbeks.

(music sustains)

We're taking tea with the family

of herbal Doctor Sufi Tabib.

He has a young wife and young children,

but also grown-up sons.

We try to understand what he does and how he lives.

In the tradition of educated Orientals

he responds to our questions in French.

(Dr. Tabib speaking in French)

I see my mission in helping people,

I care for many who are not well,

up to 200 patients a day.

We collect herbs for treatment purposes all year round.

My children also help, at the same time,

I live and spread the philosophy of the Sufis.

My particular school of Sufism is Nosafar Dia,

which also integrates modern elements of Sufi-doctrine.

(relaxing string music)

On our way to Bukhara, Sufi Tabib

and his son Ulugbeg are showing us

an ancient Sufi and Muslim site

which was even visited during the Soviet-era.

In those days, religion and spirituality

were regarded as reactionary.

Many traditions only survived in secret.

This place holds a special significance

for our hosts and there is a reason for it.

(birdsong)

(music continues)

(Dr. Tabib speaking French)

This place is called "Four Brothers,"

Why Four Brothers?

Islam has its own explanation.

But I know that the name Four Brothers

refers to Sufism and three religions,

Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

(Dr. Tabib continuing in French)

Why do I enjoy coming to the Four Brothers so much?

I first came here in 1984 during the Soviet era,

the site looked like a ruin.

There were no proper buildings, just a pile of rubble.

Nevertheless, we kept coming back here

because I felt the good energy

of our ancestors and the Sufi's.

And that is why I chose this place.

(religious incanting)

The two men allow us to watch them engage in the prayer

ritual of the Sufi in a meditation retreat.

It consists of rhythmically performed prayer mantras,

kind of vocal respiration,

but quickly leads to a trance-like state.

Established Islam sees this

as pure shamanism and superstition,

but for Sufi's this form of prayer

is the core of their religious practice.

(incantations continuing)

(Dr. Tabib speaking in French)

In Sufism this meditation is known as Zikr.

So, for breathing exercises, physical exercises,

gymnastics, and Zikr.

It's a complex system.

Why do we practice Zikr?

All Sufis practice Zikr.

The most important reason is to acquire the energy of God.

Secondly, we want to develop inwardly

to progress towards personal perfection,

to feel spirituality.

And if the prerequisites exist,

to aspire to divine knowledge.

For Sufi, Tabib, martial arts

are just as much a part of the exercise

program as gymnastics, meditation, nutrition,

cosmetics, calligraphy, and movement in nature.

What he practices as a Sufi,

Tabib also prescribes for his pupils

and patients and interest is great.

(birdsong sounding)

In Central Asia, too many people feel out of balance

and are searching for answers.

Sufi Tabib told us why.

(speaking French)

In my view, people here too,

have begun to live in the modern world.

They sit in their cars, they eat a lot.

They don't do any physical activity or breathing exercises.

But the greatest problem I feel

is that they are losing spirituality.

The link with divine energy is tenuous.

People can no longer absorb the breath of God.

They cannot connect to it.

Sufi Tabib and his sons run several practices

in Tashk and Buhkara.

These are located not in exclusive areas,

but in prefabricated buildings where ordinary people live.

Patients often come from neighboring countries

in the style of the ancient physicians of the Orient

Tabib establishes contact by the patient's pulse.

He talks to his patients and shows care.

As a rule he prescribes herbal medicine,

recommends movement exercises and meditation,

gives dietary tips and prescribes massages.

He only does what he learned from his forefathers.

He told us there is also something else that links him

to the great physician Abu Ali Sina,

also known as Abi Sina.

(Dr. Tabib speaking french)

We use the great Abi Sina's knowledge,

of the medicinal plants he studied.

and no other methods.

In our treatments we rely on our ancestors

who from 13th century on passed

everything down from generation to generation.

We apply their knowledge in our massages,

in our brain treatments, in our use of medicinal plants,

in diagnosis and in gymnastic and breathing exercises.

To compliment that, thanks to our own studies,

we add a few new applications, that's all.

Located next door

is the Sufi doctor's, pharmacy,

where patients can obtain the remedies

that have been prescribed.

All the medication, tinctures, teas and oils

are made from Uzbek, herbs and roots.

They said to be effective against virtually everything.

Prices are affordable.

In Uzbekistan only the upper class

can afford the expensive drugs manufactured

by international pharmaceutical companies.

Roots and herbs are collected all year round.

In Winter certain plants are found in the deserts,

in Summer Uzbekistan is full of herbs.

And in autumn, herbs are harvested in the mountains.

(men chatting)

(spade digging)

(wind gusting)

(men chattering)

(car whooshing)

The herbs and roots are stored at central locations

where they're also mixed and processed

in line with ancient formulas and mixing ratios.

(men chattering)

Most of the several dozen people who work

in the herb factory belong to the Sufi Tabib clan.

The son, Ulugbeg is in charge here.

(fluid swishes)

We have trees of generation.

Sufi Tabib is 14th.

I am the 15th.

So Sufi Tabib knows fourteens his fathers and grandfathers

and grand grand grand fathers.

Finally, the medications are bottled and labeled.

Many products are also sent to regular customers

as far afield as Russia.

(Ulugbeg speaking in foreign language)

(ladies chattering)

The market for herbal products is booming

and in Uzbekistan, everyone is happy to have an income.

(packets crackling)

(man chattering in foreign language)

The staff all eat together

according to the national custom,

Sitting on the ground in nomad-style,

the table is laid with far more food

than they could ever eat.

(diners conversing)

Only the work uniforms are a slight reminder

of former Soviet days.

(chattering continues)

(lively music)

At one time, Bukhara was one

of the great cities of the Orient,

a trading center with splendid buildings.

It was a place of religious tolerance.

In the past Bukhara belonged to the great Persian Empire

and the Emir of Bukhara held sway

over large parts of Central Asia.

(music continues)

Sufi Tabib has brought us to

the Jewish cemetery in Bukhara.

He wants to remind us of the days of cultural diversity

and religious tolerance, which he wishes

for Uzbekistan in the future too.

(footsteps falling)

(Dr. Tabib speaking in French)

Bukhara has always been a center of religion,

but not just of Islam, Jews, and Christians were also here.

The doctrine of Sufism was also highly developed here.

Why did Bukhara become a center of religion?

It's because many Sufies came here

and the mental attitude was very sophisticated.

Sufism accepts all religions because it has

never turned against any religion.

It works with religions.

It tolerates religions because Sufism

is found in all religions.

We are here at the Jewish cemetery and you can see how well

it has been preserved here in Uzbekistan.

Bukhara still has a lively Jewish community,

two synagogues, schools and kindergartens.

However their number of community members

is steadily declining, for Jews in Uzbekistan

it is easy to immigrate to America or Israel.

(relaxing Eastern music)

The final stage of our journey to the Orient

takes us to Samarkand, a place of yearning

and a historic center of scholarship in

science and architecture.

This is an important place,

especially in times when some people associate the terms,

Orient and Islam with danger.

(music continues)

In Samarkand Sufi Tabib told us

about the history of the region

and expressed his hopes for

the inspirational effect of former ties.

(Dr. Tabib speaking French)

Up until the 16th century central Asia

was highly developed.

That was because central Asia was the center of Sufism.

All Sufi schools worldwide came here

to spread the knowledge and to pursue their studies.

They played a leading role in mathematics,

physics, algebra, and so on.

There were many sciences here,

but when the official religion came to Uzbekistan,

everything was destroyed.

In the 15th century, Ulugbeg

was a ruler in Samarkand

who gave great service to science.

(puppets chattering)

The local puppet theater still portrays the grandson

of mogul Khan Timur as a sensitive ruler.

Ulugbeg in a blue cloak,

a Monarch for whom books and observing his beloved stars

were more important than power and intrigue.

(puppets chattering)

In the 15th century, Ulugbeg had this

impressive observatory built in Samarkand.

Today it once again, receives lots of visitors

Back then, using a 40 meter long sextant,

the Oriental Ruler succeeded in calculating

the stellar year with little deviation

from modern day measurements.

Ulugbeg also observed hundreds of celestial bodies.

This offended Islamic clergy of the day.

They ended Ulugbeg's rule

and destroyed the observatory.

(inspirational Eastern music)

We take our leave of the Orient.

The buildings in Samarkand are again resplendent

in their former beauty and tare thus

reconciled with the abysses of history.

(relaxing music continues)