Chorsu Bazaar
After waiting almost two years I have finally decided to blog about my Uzbekistan travel series starting with Chorsu Bazaar which I did in 2023. I apologize for the delay as I was preoccupied with various other travel-related activities which I also plan to start writing about once this series is over.
To start with Uzbekistan we must start from the capital Tashkent as most International flights land here. I took the Uzbekistan Airways direct flight from New Delhi to Tashkent which was slightly expensive but I just wanted to experience their hospitality which was not that bad actually.
What To See At Chorsu Bazaar
Landing in Tashkent we quickly checked into our hotel and the first place we decided to visit was the iconic Chorsu Bazaar. Keep in mind that this is just a regular functioning market used by the locals but I would recommend you to start from here to get an overview of the Uzbekistan hospitality and the food that you can expect.
The iconic dome-type building that one can see is relatively a new building built around 1980. This was designed by Vladimir Azimov & Sabir Adylov but historically this location always had a market that the locals had used for generations.
The market is well used to foreign tourists thus your presence won’t bother them unless you get in their way of business. You can take photos and videos which by now they have been used to. Since this is a functioning market, I would always recommend you to try some cheese and sausages which can be found across several shops selling in various varieties.
The market is not limited to the shops located under the domed structure you can find many small shops and stalls around this main building selling eggs, fruits, vegetables, etc.
This place also has multiple restaurants and food shops which is a perfect place to start your culinary adventure in Uzbekistan. We tried out Chuchvara which is small dumplings in light broth along with some Laghman which is thick noodles in a rich soup broth with meat and vegetables. The bread which is round similar to Indian Naan Rooti is always served with any food. Additionally, we took some shashlik locally known as Kebob.
Kukeldash Madrasah Near Chorsu Bazaar
Kukeldash Madrasah is another tourist landmark which is located right next to Chorsu Bazaar and can be easily reached on foot. The main historical structure was built around 1570 but later around the 1830’s some portion was demolished and later rebuilt around 1902 and 1950. This is a functioning madrasah thus you will find students inside and walking around is discouraged. You can see inside from the main entrance.
How To Reach Chorsu Bazaar
This place is well connected by an underground train network but being the first day I would recommend taking an app taxi. Yandex is what works out here and is very affordable and quick. There are some nearby landmarks also that one can visit during their trip to Chorsu Bazaar which I have already mentioned above.
Tips
There are many ATMs located around Chorsu Bazaar thus you can exchange your currency from these machines.
This being a functioning market it’s best to avoid having unnecessary talks with the shop owners during business hours. They are courteous enough to respond but you are disturbing them.
If you want to buy something from the shops you can ask the price and pay. No need to bargain for the food materials as these are sold as per market rate.
Use a mobile translator to communicate with the shop owners. Most of them have calculators so indicate them to show the price on the calculator.
So much to see! So much to buy!