The head of the library, Mira Emilbakova, shared the story behind these photos. She noted that one of them, taken in the 1970s in a yurt, features outstanding personalities such as Hero of Socialist Labor Isak Kochkorbaev, classics of Kyrgyz literature Aaly Tokombaev and Joomart Bokonbaev, as well as her mother-in-law Tokush Saltykova, who was then the head of the House of Culture. The writers visited the village to communicate with their readers, and at that time, libraries were popular among local residents who actively followed news from newspapers and magazines.
The next photo was taken in 1948, when the collective farm "Kenesh" achieved great success in breeding thoroughbred horses and received the status of a millionaire collective farm. That year, Marshal Semyon Budyonny, accompanied by Iskhak Razzakov, arrived in the village. In the photograph, you can see Tokush Saltykova, who was then working as a librarian, standing next to a horse. My father-in-law, Temir Osmonov, who was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor three times, is depicted to the left of Iskhak Razzakov.
In connection with the successes of the collective farm, it was decided to gift Budyonny a thoroughbred horse with a silver saddle and harness. However, the marshal declined the gift, saying that such horses were needed by the Red Army, and took only the silver harness. My father-in-law recalled that they searched for a silk chapan for the honorary guest for a long time. He also shared his impressions of Budyonny: "He had spurs on his boots that jingled with every step... And he poured vodka into a large glass and drank it in one gulp," he spoke of this with admiration.
The third photograph, created by artist Dichenko, depicts Semyon Budyonny's meeting with the villagers in 1948 and the moment of gifting the horse. This painting remained forgotten for some time, but we took it from the ayil okmotu and hung it in the library," added Mira Emilbakova.
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny (1883–1973) was a famous Soviet military leader, one of the first marshals of the Soviet Union, and a three-time Hero of the Soviet Union.
The ceremonial portrait of Marshal S. Budyonny / 1950
