Alisher Navoi is the most prominent figure in Uzbekistan literature. The famous poet and philosopher was born in 1441 in the Afghan city of Herat.
Navoi began writing poetry at the age of 15 both in Farsi and in the Turkic language. He traveled a lot improving his skills. In the 1460s the first collection of his poems was published.
During Temurid Husayn Baykar‘s reign, Navoi took an active part in state politics. He played a significant role in the growth of science and culture. Navoi patronized poets, writers, and artists. He sponsored the construction of madrasas, mosques, shelters, and bridges in Herat.
At the same time, he found time for literature. In his poems, Navoi denounced tyranny and stood against the abuse of power taking the side of the ordinary people. One of his famous works is “Hamsa“. Through it, he proved that it is possible to create a work in the Turkic language, which can be on the same level as a work from Persian literature.
Alisher Navoi’s literary legacy includes a number of collections of poems and scientific works. They completely disclose the spiritual life in Central Asia, which experienced the flourishing of the arts and sciences at the end of the 15th century.
If you plan to travel to Uzbekistan, do not forget one of the cities in Uzbekistan named after the poet.
