Yesterday, April 19, the People's Writer of Kazakhstan, prominent poet and public figure Mukhtar Shakhanov passed away at the age of 84. Today, a letter written by the poet's wife Khanshayim Shakhanova while Mukhtar Shakhanov was on his deathbed circulated on social media.
Yesterday, April 19, the People's Writer of Kazakhstan, prominent poet and public figure Mukhtar Shakhanov passed away at the age of 84. Today, a letter written by the poet's wife Khanshayim Shakhanova while Mukhtar Shakhanov was on his deathbed circulated on social media. The deceased's wife said that his last wish was to be buried at the Mausoleum of Aristan Bab, reports Todayinfo.kz.
It later became known that the poet will be buried tomorrow, April 21, at the Kensai Cemetery in Almaty. In this regard, a number of public activists expressed their opinions.
“Aida Galymovna, various assumptions are currently being made on social media about the burial place of Mukhtar Shakhanov. Can you provide accurate information?” we asked the minister.
In response, Aida Balaeva expressed the opinion that since the Mausoleum of Aristan Bab is now a tourist site, digging new graves on its territory would be wrong from both a moral and religious point of view.
“First of all, I express my condolences to the relatives of our poet, who dedicated his life to the spirituality of the nation and left a rich legacy for the younger generation. As for the question, there is no doubt that there are many places in our country worthy of becoming an eternal resting place for such a great personality as Mukhtar Shakhanov. However, today the goal of our country is to build a just society, and its well-being lies in observing law and order in that society. Today, both the Mausoleum of Aristan Bab and the old cemetery surrounding it are objects under state protection. Yes, it used to be a place of pilgrimage, but now it is our historical heritage. Aristan Bab is not a pantheon-cemetery; it is primarily a major cultural and spiritual center, a historical and cultural site included in tourist routes. Therefore, we believe that digging new graves there is wrong from both a human and religious point of view. And the city that made our Mukhtar aga a personality, broadened his horizons and strengthened his spirit is Almaty, the center of the intelligentsia. Therefore, the community that will seek and pray for the greats will find them at Kensai. We are confident that the poet's relatives will treat this issue with understanding,” said Aida Balaeva.
