TRAVERSE Issue 37 - August 2023 | Page 183

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and the streets are lined with similar Soviet styled buildings yet none so impressive . These were designed with the purpose of containing the people . A place that would house thousands , bland and conformist , there was no need for the people to want individuality or colour , grey , cheaply constructed blocks , perfect for everyone expected to be the same . The Bishkek outer suburbs are a product of the last thirty years , creativity and design are being encouraged .
The original caravan route through the Tian Shan mountain range can still be found in the roads leading into Bishkek , its something the people are proud to point out , they are finding their place in antiquity and it ’ s a joy to witness . Amongst the many gardens are monuments to the recent history , Lenin , Marx , and Frunze stand proudly amongst statues of the workers . These monuments are being joined with those to more recent leaders as well as heroes of the past . Impressive statues of Manas adorn most public places , reflecting on the Epic Of Manas that tells of a history of the Kyrgyz people meeting other Chinese and Turkic tribes . Written in the
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