Local residents share stories about how they managed to find gold nuggets among the stones. Mukhammedaly Eshnazarov, a native of the village, spoke about the origin of its name, which he learned from his grandfather [chon ata]. “The name ‘Zer talash,’ often pronounced by locals, is connected to ancient conflicts between the Kalmyks and the Chinese, who inhabited these areas and competed for the riches of the land. My chon ata Adylbek told me in childhood about how this name came to be. Legends say that the Kalmyks and the Chinese mined gold here, and the name of the place became a symbol of their struggle — Zer talash, or ‘struggle for gold,’” Eshnazarov shares.
Later, the Kyrgyz began to develop this valley, resulting in the formation of the village of Chandalash. However, it is home to only about 50 households, which can be attributed to the difficulties of crossing the Chatkal River. In this area, one can find plants listed in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan.
The village of Chandalash has an elementary school and a medical and obstetric point. The villagers cultivate about 200 hectares of land, growing various agricultural crops.
