Kumtepa Bazaar

About the bazaar

Kumtepa (Qumtepa) Bazaar is held in the village of the same name in Qoshtepa District, a few kilometres west of Margilan. It is one of the valley's best-known traditional markets, drawing traders and shoppers from surrounding villages and neighbouring towns. By tradition the busiest days are Thursday and Sunday, especially in the early morning.

Wandering the rows you will find Margilan atlas and adras, doppi skullcaps, wooden cradles and chests, pottery and copperware, spices and dried fruit. One part of the market is given over to livestock, with teahouses and food stalls alongside. For visitors it is above all a chance to see everyday valley life up close — the art of haggling, traditional dress and all.

Nearby

Qoshtepa is a land of mounds — even the name Kumtepa means 'sand hill'. After the market it is easy to continue to the Yodgorlik Silk Factory and the crafts centre in the Said Ahmad Khoja Madrasa in Margilan, a few kilometres away.

Did you know?

Qumtepa only became an urban settlement in 2009, but its bazaar was famous in the valley long before that. The Fergana Valley has always sat at a crossroads of trade routes, and Margilan silk, Rishtan pottery and Kokand copper reached their buyers through markets like this one. Among the skullcaps you can spot styles from across the valley, including the famous Chust doppi, embroidered in white thread on a dark ground with the pepper-pod or almond (bodom) motif.