Jidir Plain

Jidir Plain
The Jidir Plain overlooking the Dashalty Gorge
Map
LocationShusha, Azerbaijan

The Jidir Plain or Jydyr Plain (Azerbaijani: Cıdır düzü (Jidir Duzi), Armenian: Կատարոտ (Katarot)[1]) is a plain in the southern part of Shusha, Azerbaijan. The name literally translates as horse racing field from Azerbaijani referring to the tradition of holding horse racing games in the times of the Karabakh Khanate.

Location

The western part of Shusha rises 1,800 meters and the eastern part 1,400 meters above sea level.[2] The Jidir Plain is located in the southern relatively flat yet higher part of Shusha.[3] This meadow overlooks the valley and the Dashalty gorge through which the Dashalty river flows 200 meters below.[4] A trail on the edge of the Jidir Plain leads to Girkh Pillakan (40 steps), a forty step path which in turn leads down to the Dashalty gorge and Khazina Galasy ("Treasure Castle") cave by the river.[5][6]

Significance

The Jidir Plain has always been the main location for festivities and sporting events in Shusha. From the time of Shusha's establishment, wrestling matches were part of periodic competitions held by the Karabakh Khans. Both horse racing and camel racing matches were held here. Chovgan (Azerbaijani variation of polo) was also played here. Participants of the games also excelled in jigitovka, a type of horse riding stunt games. Ibrahim Khalil Khan who was fond of Karabakh horses, held official semi-annual horse racing games in the khanate while the regular races took place on a weekly basis. Youth received awards for exceptional horse riding stunts. One of the variations of the Jidir Plain jigitovka was baharbandi where the participants had to throw off their papakh, rifle, dagger, shashka at assigned spots at full speed and then collect them on their way back with the same speed.[7] The Jidir Plain was also a place for Novruz celebrations as well as official welcoming ceremonies for international guests.[8] The festivities included tightrope walking, stilts and jester performances accompanied by music. The field was often compared to a hippodrome.[7]

Notes

  1. ^ "10 լավագույն վայրերը՝ դեպի Արցախ ճամփորդությունը հիշարժան դարձնելու համար". armenpress.am (in Armenian). 9 August 2017. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  2. ^ "Regret for Shusha". Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  3. ^ "Public Television. ŞUŞA HƏSRƏTİ". Archived from the original on 12 May 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  4. ^ "Heartbeat of Karabakh". Azerbaijan International. 1998. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  5. ^ "QARABAĞ: BƏRDƏ - AĞDAM- ŞUŞA - KƏLBƏCƏR". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Şuşa şəhəri". Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  7. ^ a b "ОТДЫХ И РАЗВЛЕЧЕНИЯ ШУШИНЦЕВ". Archived from the original on 24 September 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  8. ^ "ГОРОД ШУША". Retrieved 5 August 2010.


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