Misharistan And Its Traditions

There is an amazing place in the very centre of Russia, the Nizhegorodsk region. On the maps it is called the Krasnooktyabrsky district but the locals call it Misharistan. It’s the land so much different from all Russia.

Misharistan villages are huge, clean, with houses of good quality. Probably this district is the only one in the region from where young people do not go to big cities. If it is compared to neighbouring villages where Russians live, the last one are not the gainers.

Misharistan dwellers carefully keep their traditions. You notice it while talking to them or in their kitchens. And the Tatars cook perfectly! Nobody has ever left them being hungry. Despite the actions of the Soviet authorities aimed at eradication of their religion in the country the local Tatars managed to preserve wooden mosques – unique 200 years’ monuments. Not less respectfully they treat ancient Russian traditions. Thus, while meetings or feasts, they have samovars on their tables and drink tea from saucers after the ancient Russian manner.

Misharistan Tatars in the kitchen of the religious complex of Klyuchischi village.

Monument to Lenin near the mosque in Medyan settlement.

Prayer in the mosque

The village grocery in the cistern, Krasnaya Gorka village, the Nizhegorodsk village.

Tatar funerals in Urazovka village


Dressing the horse. Horse meat is used for many dishes of the Tatar national cuisine. Bolshoye Rybushkino village.

Guests at the house in which a funeral feast takes place. To drink all the guests the house owners heat water in some 10 litres samovars. Poshatovo village, Krasnooktyabrsky district.

A woman in the house during the funeral feast. According to the old belief in the house with a dead man all mirrors can be covered with sheets to avoid seeing his/her soul in the mirror. Urazovka village, the Nizhegorodsk region.

Waiting for the mid-day prayer at the mosque.

9th grade graduates of Endovischi settlement, the Nizhegorodsk region are posing at the ancient wooden mosque before going to the promenade.

Interior of the wooden mosque in Andreevka village. Now it is closed due to its emergency state so divine services take place in another new mosque attached to this one in 1995.

Andreevka village from the minaret window of the mosque built about 200 years ago.

A local man at home. Semenovka village, the Nizhegorodsk region.

Bolshoye Rybushkino of the Krasnooktyabrsky district – one of the largest Misharistan settlements in the Nizhegorodsk region.

Children rollerblading in the main street of Bolshoye Rybushkino of the Krasnooktyabrsky district.

Near the mosque in Chembeley, the Nizhegorodsk region

The nurse of Urazovka village is putting an old woman on the litter for further transportation to the regional hospital.

Imams of the mosques in the Krasnooktyabrsky district are going to the grave of their associate to revere his memory.

Women are putting soup into the plates for the festive dinner in the religious complex of Klyuchischi village.

Imams having tea after the meeting in the refrectory of the Klyuchischi mosque.

Elderly women during the prayer in the woman department of one mosque of Chembiley village, the Nizhegorodsk region. According to Islamic rules women have to pray separately from men.

82 years old imam of Chembiley village is reading a sermon to the parishioners.

A local man at the exhibit of the ancient cradle in the museum of Chembiley village.



Source ; englishrussia.com