After deciding to do so, Bekbaqa summoned officials with different ranks to discuss the forthcoming magnificent event at the hall where Manas and his warriors discussed the affairs of national defense and administration before. After finishing praying to all his ancestors, Bekbaqa said to others: “Only after Manas and his comrades-in-arms drove away Qalmaq invaders did Kyrgyz people gain independence and lead a happy life. We should not forget those ancestors who sacrificed their lives for the country. An age-old Kyrgyz
The Sixth Khan Holds Grand Ceremony in Honor of Ancestors
161
saying goes that everyone should keep in mind the history of their ancestors
from the past five generations at the least. As a result, I would like to hold
a commemorative ceremony in order to spread the glorious feats and lofty
spirits of Manas and other khans. So every offspring of Manas will keep in
mind the extraordinary history of our nationality!”
Then he began to look at all the officials surrounding him one by one. At
last, he rest his eyes on Bekozirqi.
Bekozirqi stood up and said slowly: “My ancestor called Irqi Uul was
one of the forty warriors of Manas. He was a famous singer in the barracks.
Shortly before his death, Almambet ordered my ancestor not to engage in any
war in order to stave off the possible death. Instead, my ancestor was given a
duty to chronicle the heroic feats of Manas and all his ancestors. After editing
all the great khans’ heroic deeds into an epic, he kept singing everywhere.
Such a distinctive cause of my family was passed on to me from generation to
generation. Just like what my ancestor did, I have chronicled the heroic deeds
of Manas and all his descendants. I keep in mind all the verses. And I can sing
at any time as you please.”
At the invitation of Bekbaqa, Ozirqi sat at the throne to sing the verses
for all the officials. The khan gave the approval to the singer in order to show
special respect to his ancestors.
Ozirqi spent three days and three nights singing the verses in a melodious
tone without a halt. Bekbaqa and all the other officials got hooked by the
alluring legends of Manas completely. They were so enamoured by the stories
that they even forgot to eat or sleep.
In order to choose an ideal venue for the upcoming commemorative
ceremony, Bekbaqa Khan traveled a lot. Finally he decided to hold the
ceremony at a tract of grassland laced with a broad river which cut through
the rolling mountains. The land was called Akhchi.
Bekbaqa sent numerous messengers to many places, even including Europe
and Indian Sub-Continent. He made an annoucement to the effect that all the
Kyrgyz people from the forty clans should take part in the commemorative
ceremony in honor of the forty-four most prominent historical figures. They
should establish a total of 40,000 yurts altogether. All members of the sixty
Alasha clans should make preparations for the event as well. They should set
up 90,000 yurts altogether.
Legend of Manas
In addition, Bekbaqa Khan demanded that the Kyrgyz hosts should
entertain the guests coming from afar with a wide range of delicacies with a
view to showing the Kyrgyz people’s superb culinary art. The mouthwatering
foodstuffs included milky tea, butter, dried apricot slices, raisins, cubic sugar,
honey, Ficus caricas, candied jujubes, creamy candies, beef, lamb, horse
flesh, horseflesh sausages, sheep liver, sheep oil, wild deer flesh, Mongolian
gazelle flesh, snow cock meat, duck, fish, and so on and so forth. The Kyrgyz
hosts were particular about the utensils used to contain drinks as well. For
example, milky tea and kumiss should be put into the exquisite porcelain
bowls transported from the inland area of China.
The magnificent ceremomy’s preparations lasted for three-and-half years.
The commemorative ceremony kicked off according to the original schedule
at last. All the guests were present at the ceremony except the members of five
Khangai clans.
A huge yurt was set up on the mountain slope with a golden flag emblematic
of supreme Kyrgyz kingship fluttering at its top and numerous colorful flags
standing on both sides of its gate. Representatives of different sub-groups also
hoisted their respective flags with different totems at their respective yurts
with a relatively small size. The large yurt could accommodate more than
5,000 audiences. Bekbaqa Khan, officials with different ranks, sages, warriors
and chiefs of all tribes paid tribute to Manas Khan and all the deceased khans
from the later generations, chiefs of administrative sub-groups, sages, warriors
and their spouses right there.
Then, Ozirqi began to sing the epic of Manas, eulogizing the unparalleled
feats achieved by him and the khans from the later generations. The singer
draped an overcoat made of the camel hair over his shoulders. In addition,
he wore a cap with a white top and a black peak curling upward. This was
deliberately designed by Queen Kanikei, wife of Manas Khan. The white
hat top symbolized the rolling snow-capped mountains while black peak the
boundless grassland laced with flowing rivers. In the eyes of Kyrgyz people, a
mountain and a river were emblematic of their father and mother accordingly.
All Kyrgyz people were the outstanding sons of the grassland. The singer started
the epic with the birth of Manas. His well-written verses and melodious tune
seemed to bring a constellation of preeminent historical figures back to life.
Singing thewhole epic was supposed to take more than three months. However,
Legend of Manas
the singer was given only ten days for his performance. As a result, Ozirqi had to choose the cream of the epic at the ceremony. The audiences listened attentively in memory of their ancestors.