Mausoleum of Imam Marcozy

One of the traditional architectural structures built of raw brick in the 19th century. Monument of history and culture of local importance. The mausoleum of this saint is located 7 km from Turkestan on an elevated hill south of the village of Shobanak, in the old necropolis. The local population calls the Necropolis «Necropolis of aulie Koktondy ata». This is a domed and tower structure. Built by an architectural solution typical for the southern regions of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. One of the sides of the building is not visible due to the subsequent construction of Shildekhana. The main facade consists of a portal with two towers. In addition, inside the towers are rotating stairs that rise to the roof. The total area of ​​the mausoleum is 10 x 12 meters. In front of the entrance there is one meter small corridor that runs right and left. On the right corridor they go to the ceiling through a rotating staircase, through the corridor on the left wing they go into a 4 x 3-meter room, from which a 6 x 3-meter shildehana room. In the center of the room there is a 1 meter metal grating window. Through the window you can see the premises of the grave, in which is the grave of Imam Marcos.

There are two different opinions about the true name of Koktondy ata. One of them is Imam Marcozy (Marcuzi, Mergazy, Marouazi). The second is Baba Mashin. According to myths and legends, he was a man with a pure heart, a contemporary of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, and also the zakir, who promoted Islam and was engaged in healing. Due to the fact that he always wore a blue shoe at his feet, and on top of his blue clothes he was nicknamed Koktondy ata. The legends say that once Kok tonda ata went to Khoja Ahmed Yasawi with the goal of having a conversation. And not just like that, but with the luggage of all his own books. Ahmed Yasawi, looking at his books, threw them all into a hauz (pond). Surprised by this act, Kok tondy ata asked him why he threw away his books, because they could become unusable, and then the teacher began to take out dry books from the house with the words «book is a source of knowledge», and saying that he simply shook out the dust from them, surprised by this event, Kok tondy ata realized that he had witnessed a miracle. Today, there is confidence that people suffering from whooping cough disease can be treated on the basis of this saint’s mausoleum. There are legends that say that before his death, Ahmed Yasawi bequeathed to read the memorial prayer of Koktondy ata.

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