Dwelling in the Mountains

An elderly man settled in a cave in the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan.

As 68-year-old Tolon Mamyrasulov recounted, he moved here in 1995 with his family. Over the years, he and his wife raised five children, four of whom now live in the city.

"I was paralyzed. One day I dreamed of this mountain with a cave, and I moved here. Here I was able to heal," Mamyrasulov said.

The elderly man dug a pit in the mountain. While working, he found shards of pots and animal bones – evidence that people once lived here.

Despite the fact that the man preaches Islam, he is interested in shamanism. Additionally, Tolon meditates and plays the komuz (a traditional Kyrgyz string instrument) — by education, he is a musician.

Moreover, Mamyrasulov collects stones with "drawings" and branches that resemble letters. For this, he has set aside a special corner and named it his "museum."

Despite the lack of electricity and other modern conveniences, Mamyrasulov and his family say they are happy to be closer to nature. They provide shelter and assistance to everyone who approaches them, and local residents come to pray and receive blessings.