The methodological basis of the work

Отан тарихы №1 (97) 2022
ISSN 1814 - 6961 E-ISSN: 2788-9718
223
Motivation to visit sacred places in Kazakhstan is dominated by Muslim rites and the cult of Sufism 
worship, one of which is the Ziyarat rite. The rules of ziyarat include visiting religious places. In all religious 
places there is a Shyrakshy – the watchman of the shrine, who takes the role of a guide. Shyrakshy is 
appointed by a imam or a descendant of the saint. A complete Ziyarat is considered a rite of sacrifice. 
The purpose of the pilgrimage is to overcome life difficulties, diseases, etc. Ziyarat implies a mandatory 
overnight stay near mazarat, and this is determined by the types of tourists with a religious pilgrimage 
purpose. Tourists who visit places and do not observe all the elements of Ziyarat most often pursue 
cognitive goals (Medeuova and etc. 2017: 125-135). 
In general, these practices are motivated by a standard set in the form of: healing diseases, receiving 
a blessing (bata), connections with the past. However, pilgrimage sites are not apolitical. This is indicated 
by the anthropologist Ulan Bigozhin, based on field studies of the “Akkol” mazar complex in the Pavlodar 
region. According to his observations, in order to maintain and expand the shrines, the Shyrakshy seek 
patronage from political and economic elites. There are also conflict situations between keepers and 
patrons. All this indicates that secular and sacred practices are interdependent (Bigozhin, 2018: 233-252). 
In every region of our country there is some sacred place that has a very special cosmic energy, and 
people go there to recover, many wishes are fulfilled. Each place has its own history, legend.
The mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (Yassawi) is located in the city of Turkestan in the South 
Kazakhstan region. It is rightfully called the eighth wonder of the world. This is a complex of palaces 
and temples, a masterpiece of medieval architecture, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. 
Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (Sultan Hazret) is a great Turkic Sufi poet and thinker of the 12th century. His book 
“Divan-i-Hikmet” (The Book of Wisdom), one of the oldest Turkic-language books in the world, has 
come down to our time. It consists of 149 religious and philosophical poems – hikmet. Yasawi organized 
his own Sufi community, whose commandments were work, a modest life, missionary work, and prayers. 
In memory of the Prophet Muhammad, who died at the age of 63, Yasawi considered it unnecessary 
to see the light of day longer than him, and, celebrating his 63rd birthday, retired to an underground cell 
near the mosque. The poet died in 1166 or 1167. His grave immediately became a place of worship for 
Muslims. It was said that its three-time visit was equivalent to a hajj to Mecca. Thanks to Khoja Ahmed, 
the city of Yasi – Turkestan – became the spiritual center of all the Turks. About 350 people are buried in 
the mausoleum, among them khans, biys, batyrs, outstanding personalities who contributed to the formation 
and development of the Kazakh people.
The mausoleum has one of the largest brick domes in Central Asia, with a diameter of about 18 meters. 
The mausoleum has more than 30 rooms, which are conventionally divided into eight blocks. They are 
interconnected by intertwined passages, corridors, ornate two-story staircases. Kazandyk is the largest 
hall of the mausoleum, a ceremonial room, covered by the main dome. It contains an ancient shrine, 
a bronze Tai-Kazan cauldron with a capacity of 60 buckets, a diameter of 2.2 meters and a weight of 
2 tons. According to legend, Tai-Kazan was cast from an alloy of seven rare metals in the village of 
Karnak. Tai-Kazan is a symbol of unity and hospitality of the Turkic tribes. They say that after drinking 
the water from it, the pilgrim could cleanse himself of filth (Sakral’nye ob”ekty Kazakhstana 
obshhenatsional’nogo znacheniya, 2017: 68-73).
Another important example is pilgrimage places of worship such as the Tolegetay-Kylyshty ata 
complex, the Khorasan ata Mausoleum, the Okshy-ata pantheon of seven saints in the Kyzylorda 
region of South Kazakhstan. The place of worship and pilgrimage tourism in the Kyzylorda region is the 
Tolegetay-Kylyshty ata complex (11th-12th cc). Tolegetay Baba – a descendant of Kushilik Khan, who 
lived at the beginning of the 12th century. There are writings about him in the books “Babyrnam”, 
“Makhdumi Agzam and Dagbed” by K. Kattaev, “Zafarnama” by Ali Azdi about the life of Aksak Temir. 
Sayd Burkani, Aziret Ali 43rd descendant of Kuanysh Begimbek Abiltayuly considers the history of 
his ancestors as the basis of a healthy society, of respect and reverence for each other, for their ancestors, 
history. He researches the history of sacred places in the South Kazakhstan region. These studies of local 
lore are of great importance for future generations of their native land, motivation and education in the 
spirit of patriotism and national identity. Such a spiritual connection, passed down from generation 
to generation, is invaluable for the preservation of the national code of the Kozha clan living in the 
Kyzylorda region. Every year in the fall, descendants organize As – a memorial dinner in order to honor 
the memory of their ancestors. A flower garden is laid out near the complex – an oasis of the desert 
(Regional’nye sakral’nye ob”ekty Kazakhstana, 2017: 100-102). 
The mausoleum “Khorasan ata” is located in the Zhanakorgan district of the Kyzylorda region. It is 
known that Khorasan ata was a great sage, scientist, and also a skillful healer. People who come here first 
stop near the Khorasan Ata cemetery, where they read the Koran. Such a ritual is also performed on the 
graves of the children and grandchildren of the great sage. There is an orchard around the mausoleum 
of Khorasan Ata. All descendants annually hold an as, a special religious meeting of descendants for the 
purpose of sacrifice and reading prayers to their ancestors. According to the 44th descendant of Abjalil 
Baba Burkan Muktar Seytkazyuly, the holy places of ancestors and the family tree are very important in 

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