A land of mountains and legends, Kyrgyzstan also harbors countless mysteries. One of them lies in a small village in the south of the country, in the little-visited Batken region. In Karabulak, a hill nicknamed "Aigultash" is covered, for only a few days each year, with a magnificent and towering flower, the Aigul, found nowhere else in the world.

Extremely rare and endemic to this mountain, the Aigul flower fascinates travelers from around the globe, who descend upon this village in April hoping to catch a glimpse of this natural wonder. It reveals itself for only two weeks a year, after a full moon, and is said to promise eternal happiness to those who encounter it.

A tragic love story

According to local legend, it was a romantic tragedy that gave birth to this flower. A beautiful girl named Aigul, whose name translates from Kyrgyz as "flower of the moon," fell in love with a warrior, Kozu Ulan. The two lovers were meant to marry; all preparations were made. But the soldier, devoted to his country, died in combat. His comrades brought his heart back to the village for his betrothed.

Unable to bear the pain of this loss, Aigul climbed to the top of the hill and threw herself into the void. This desperate act was meant to reunite her with her beloved, whose heart had been buried at the heart of the hill. The young girl's blood stained the stones, and a few days later the first flowers bloomed, symbols of a pure, passionate, and broken love.

With its long stem reaching approximately one meter in height, its many green leaves, and its inverted flowers of orange or red hue, it is certainly impressive. Moreover, its flowers contain tiny droplets, which locals say are Aigul's tears.

A flower under threat

The Aigul is a flower that cannot be admired anywhere else in the world. Even in this Batken village, it has become rare. The Aigul flower only blooms from its roots after seven years. Each following year, a new orange flower appears on the stem, making it possible to determine the age of the plant.

An endangered species, with the scientific name "ryabchik-eduardo" or "Fritillaria eduardii Regel," the Aigul is listed in the Red Book of threatened flora. This mysterious flower attracted so much attention that it was sold at high prices as gifts; it was also used in Eastern medicine to treat stomach ailments. Locals attempted to cultivate it without success: it grows only naturally, on Aigultash. It is now strictly forbidden to pick it.

Photo credit: Akipress.