Dagestan – Eastern exoticism in Russia

What associations does your imagination draw when you hear the word Dagestan? Almost all my friends gave me the same words - terrorism and militants. And when I heard that I was going there, they ended up saying, “You’re crazy, look, we’re not going to save you!” But all this is public opinion, stereotypes that keep us out of this wonderful republic, shackles that hold our movement back.

Dagestan is a beautiful and bright republic, striking with its local flavor. Even when you get on the train Moscow - Makhachkala, it seems that you get to the Eastern market, with a bright smell of spices, eternal bargaining with sellers, leading to philosophical conversations about life.

Getting to Makhachkala, it seems as if time has stopped. Already from the station, you can smell the sea, calling you to quickly plunge into its arms. People are not in a hurry, and the prices of some products, too. It's a different culture, a different language. But it is better to say other cultures and other languages. Walking around Makhachkala, you can meet representatives of more than 200 nationalities, each of which is unique in its own way. They are open, friendly and always ready to help a stranger, but they are also united by eyes, eyes of incredible beauty, in which you can drown as easily as in the Caspian Sea.

And the famous Caucasian hospitality! It’s like visiting a grandmother you haven’t seen in a long time, and she’ll be glad to see you at any time of the day or night. As the Dagestanis themselves say: "Guest in the house - happiness for the owners." Here you will be warmed up, fed with delicious food: khinkal (boiled meat, dough cakes, sauce, taste similar to ajika and meat broth), miracle (traditional cakes with various fillings, which are baked in open ovens), urbech (sweet viscous delicacy mixed with honey) are just some of the names of dishes of traditional Dagestani cuisine. At that, Khinkal in each of the nationalities of Dagestan is different. At least for this reason it is worth coming here.

By the way, lovers of spiritual food will also find something to do here. There are about 10 museums in Makhachkala. All of them are on the coastline. There is here, as well as the traditional museum of the history of the city, and there is clearly not in many cities the Museum of Fisheries. But special attention should be paid to the Dagestan Museum of Fine Arts named after P. S. Gamzatova, where collections of fine art from Western European graphics to Dagestani painting, as well as masterpieces of decorative and applied art, where you should pay attention to the weapons and jewelry skills of Dagestanis. Not far from the museum is the City Square, with many cafes of traditional cuisine.

But to feel the real atmosphere of the city, go to the market, where you can take with you as souvenirs all sorts of spices and mountain herbs, as well as buy juicy fruits and berries on the road. And from there immediately on the long way home, the market is within walking distance of the train station. But remember Dagestan is exotic, alluring, intoxicating with its special language and special culture. Getting to Dagestan at least once, you will leave your heart there forever.

Text by Ksenia Komarova