Kechirmas bobo maqbarasi

Kechirmas bobo mausoleum (or Kechirmas ota mausoleum) — a historical monument in the Ellikqalʼa district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. The mausoleum belongs to the 12th–14th and 16th–19th centuries and is located in the city of Boʻston, which is now the center of Ellikqalʼa. By the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, on 4 October 2019 the mausoleum was entered into the national list of immovable objects of material cultural heritage and placed under state protection. Currently it is state property under the operational management authority of the Karakalpakstan Republic Department of Cultural Heritage.

History and activity of the mausoleum

Kechirmas bobo was one of the saints who lived in this area in ancient times. It is assumed that this person was a contemporary of the Prophet Muhammad. Because Kechirmas bobo healed people in his time, after his death his grave became a place of worship and healing for the local population in need of help. By today the mausoleum has become one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Despite a considerable decrease in tourist flow due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, it was reported that more than 40 000 visitors came to the Ellikqalʼa district on the internal tourism route to the “Kechirmas ota pilgrimage site and healing place”, the “Norinjon bobo” archaeological monument, and other historical objects in the district.

Etymology

The local population believes that Kechirmas bobo opened a path to the cure of various diseases. It is said that a person afflicted with one of these diseases can be healed only by repenting for his sins. Moreover, the locals believe that if this person, after being healed, again commits the same mistake, he may remain ill for the rest of his life. It is emphasized that the name “Kechirmas bobo” originated for this reason.