According to Kalibek, information about the pasture is passed down from generation to generation. He recalled how, as a child, while herding cattle, he listened to the tales of his grandfather and the elders. This vast pasture has nine lakes, but it seems that no one has measured their exact depths.
One of the lakes, Mai-Kol, visually resembles a surface covered in oil when viewed from a distance of 10-15 meters. However, once in the water, one can notice its crystal clarity. The length and width of this lake are approximately 20 meters each.
Adjacent to it is the lake Chok Kamysh, around which about six families reside. Previously, a lot of reeds were cut here for fires when there were collective farms in the area. Currently, the lake has shrunk to 30 square meters, and now only birds come here to drink, while cattle get stuck in the mud.
The next lake, Kichi-Kol, has an area of about 500 square meters. Although it lacks water, sometimes the level rises. The elders recall that in 1936, a crop-dusting plane could not fly over the local lakes, which led to their mapping. Now no plane or helicopter flies over them, preferring to go around them.
A kilometer away is the lake Chon-Kol, where couples come wishing to have children. They pray and cut their hair near a small mosque.
According to popular beliefs, the lakes Chon-Kol and Kichi-Kol are under the protection of a camel calf. Kalibek claims that in winter, when these lakes freeze, one can hear a characteristic sound coming from them, resembling the sound of a camel. He himself heard it when he lived there for nine years, and at such moments, the ice on the lakes cracks, which happens at the end of February.
The next lake is Ak-Kol. Its "owner" is considered to be a stallion, and in winter, sounds resembling snorting can be heard from it. At such moments, the ice also cracks.
Next is Iri-Kol, which has a wooden trough made of juniper that does not sink in the water. Then comes Beshik-Kol, whose shape resembles a cradle. In sunlight, it looks one way, and without sunlight, it appears completely different, playing with green and red shades.
The next lake, Tunduk-Kol, at first glance resembles the tun of a yurt, but this is not so noticeable when you get closer. Next is Kol-Kutman, which is 1.5 km long and 500 meters wide. It is surrounded by stones on all four sides, and couples also come here hoping for children.
Kalibek recalled that the elders spoke about how the water from the lakes connects with each other.
Additionally, he shared a legend about why the lake Ak-Kol is associated with a war horse. According to Kalibek, long ago, a poor man came to the lake Iri-Kol with his mare, but he was not allowed into the herd of the wealthy. Tired, he fell asleep, and when he woke up, he saw a stallion emerge from the water and approach his mare, which ultimately led to the birth of a foal. The poor man returned to the lake, hoping for offspring, but the stallion took his child back into the water.
Kalibek also noted that the name of the city Kara-Kul (translated from Kyrgyz as Kara-Kol) comes from the largest lake in this pasture. Viewed from above, it appears black, and only wild ducks, otters, and muskrats inhabit it. In 1986-1987, fish were released into the lake Kichi-Kol, but within less than an hour, all of them floated up dead. Then about 300 ducks were brought there, but they also died. People associate this with the presence of uranium in the sand at the bottom of the lake.
According to him, away from the pasture of Kara-Kol, closer to Arstanbap, there is an area called Suu Ayry or Chiyin Tash, where ancient drawings of archers and livestock can be found on the rocks.
Kalibek Myrzaliev also worked in the city fire department, is married, and has raised six children.
