According to him, this place has served as an object of worship since the times of Tengrism, when the ancestors of the Kyrgyz came here to pray.
“I live near this sacred place. People continue to come here, especially those who face difficulties such as infertility or illnesses. The name ‘Chech-Döbö’ is likely related to the root ‘chech,’ which means ‘to solve.’ This is a place where one can try to solve their problems,” explained Begimbaev.
He also mentioned that there are seven springs near the shrine.
“Visitors come not only from Kyrgyzstan but also from Kazakhstan and China. Among the locals, you can meet not only Kyrgyz but also Russians and Dungans. In the past, when there were no mosques, Kyrgyz prayed in such shrines. I remember as a child pouring water for the adults for ablution, and they would say to me: ‘Tengir koldosun, kagylaiyn,’” shared Asanbek's memories.
According to him, two families live near the shrine.
“My family lives in one of the houses, and we are engaged in livestock farming. My younger brother used to live here,” he added.
Tengrism, or Tengrizm, is a neologism describing the medieval religious practice of Turkic-Mongolian nomads and the peoples influenced by them, in which the supreme deity was Tengri — the deified sky.
