Local residents shared this with a Turmush correspondent.
According to them, there is no exact information about who built the water mill, which has been in operation for over a century. However, it has been reconstructed three times and continues to function to this day.
“The mill, which was not in operation for a long time, was restarted using the method of folk ashar. The feature of this mill is that it operates not on electricity or fuel, but on the mechanical force created by water pressure,” said the residents of Kesken-Tash.
They noted that such mills were widely used by their ancestors since ancient times.
“The flow of water turns the mill wheel, which grinds grain into flour. This method is environmentally friendly and requires no costs.
As far as we know, the mill is now being used by the people for the third time after repairs. Last time, the residents collected money themselves to restore the mill, as the mechanisms were destroyed. Even a tree had grown inside.
It was built over 100 years ago. The second repair was carried out during the Soviet Union, when the collective farm was functioning — then Abdirashit Sulaymanov restored it, but it stopped working again afterward.
In 1991, when difficulties began, people sowed wheat and ground it — the mill served the people. At that time, there were queues of 30–40 bags. After flour appeared on the market, the mill was no longer used.
Then I took the initiative, told the elders, and we started the mill again. Our ancestors built it, ground flour, and baked bread. The flour obtained here is healthy.
Unlike the current white flour, the flour ground at this mill is nutritious, provides energy, saturates, and strengthens the body, as it is rich in vitamins. Children who grew up on bread made from this flour were strong, participated in goat wrestling, and showed excellent physical strength. When I proposed to revive the mill, people supported it.
Since the mill is located by the water, we plan to organize a recreation area nearby. We will plant junipers so that people can come and relax.
People come from other rural areas of the Kadamjai district for flour from this mill. Visitors from Aydarken, Okhny, Tamashi, and Uchkun also ask for it. People say that bread made from this flour is soft. Now it is even mixed with regular flour.
My father used to say: “Whether in hunger or plenty — always keep wheat at home. It is strength for a person. If you have it, share with those in need.”
We sow 5–10 hundredths of wheat every year. This is enough for us and even leaves some over. Our land is fertile — we get 40–50 centners from 10 hundredths.
The stone for the mill is cut in Uzbekistan. I found out — it costs about 100,000 soms. There was an old mill in Burgundu that was not working. We bought two of its stones, brought them, installed them, carried out reconstruction, and started it up,” said Chyngyz Kochkorov, a resident of the village of Kyzyl-Bulak.
In his opinion, this mill helps preserve the historical heritage of the village and introduces the youth to traditional crafts.
