For my second visit to the Republic of Bashkortostan, like for the first, I fly from Guwahati to Delhi to Abu Dhabi to Moscow, before landing in capital Ufa, 24 hours and a headache later. This time though, stepping into its pleasant summer air (after a cold pit-stop at Moscow), I am greeted by sunshine and friendly faces.
Nestled between the Ural mountains and the Volga river, Bashkortostan (or Bashkiria) is a federal subject of Russia. Peopled by Russians, Tatars and Bashkirians, it’s also well-connected — a key trans-Ural railway route passes through Ufa, branching out further to other industrial centres of the republic.
While oil has sparked global interest in this belt, local industries have thrived here for decades. Among the largest producers of farm products in Russia, the region’s livestock is focused on milk and meat. Beekeeping and horse farming are also crucial to the economy. Bashkirians have been breeding horses for more than a millennium.
Come July 2015, the city of Ufa, which has an eventful history dating back to the 16th century, will add a major international summit to its list of accolades.
Text and Photos: Ritu Raj Konwar
(Ritu Raj Konwar visited Bashkortostan at the invitation of the Russian government)