Batyr Rayimbek Tukeuly (lived in the XVIII century, circa 1705-1785), commander of Khan Abylai, the Kazakh batyr who participated in the Kazakh-Dzungarian wars of the XVIII century and liberating Zhetysu from the Dzungars; was recognized during life as «aulie, a saint».
Biography
At the turn of the XVII-XVIII centuries, during the reign of Khan Tauke the Kazakh Khanate was a fairly powerful ethnopolitical state formation with a strong centralized khanate. The sphere of political influence of the Kazakh khans extended not only to the traditional nomadic areas of the Kazakhs, but also to the neighboring settled agricultural and trade-craft areas along the lower and middle reaches of the Syr Darya and Zhetysu. The social political situation within the khanate stabilized, it was no coincidence that A. Levshin called that period the «golden age» of the Kazakhs in his study. The regulation of almost all spheres of life according to the norms of customary law and the laying of the «Zheta Zhargy» («Seven Establishments») contributed to maintaining stability within the zhuzs. Khan Tauke managed to overcome the strife between clans and tribes, restore calm in the Kazakh zhuzes and for some time protect the nomads of the Kazakhs from external intrusions. The foreign policy situation significantly strengthened.
Despite the rather restless neighbors along almost the entire perimeter of the borders, the territory of the Kazakh Khanate under the rule of Tauke was relatively safe. Neighbors from the north (Siberian Cossacks), from the north-west and west (Bashkirs and Volga Kalmyks), from the south (the Central Asian khanates, Bukhara and Khiva) periodically caused certain concern to the Kazakhs, but the Kazakhs managed to defend the integrity of their lands. The most dangerous neighbor on the southeastern borders was the Dzungar Khanate, inhabited by Oirats (they were called differently in different sources, Oirats, Dzungars, Kalmaks). In the 90s of the XVII and first decades of the XVIII centuries, the nomadic Dzungars invaded the Kazakh lands, trying to conquer pastures from the Kazakhs, but under strong khanate power the Kazakhs repelled the attacks, leaving the Dzungars no chance of expanding their territory at the expense of the Kazakh lands.
After the death of Tauke, the Kazakh Khanate was in a rather difficult situation. At the end of the second and the beginning of the third decade of the XVIII century, the growth of armed conflicts with neighbors, disputes and discord among khans and sultans for domination of power led to the decentralization of the state, it broke up into a number of khanates: each zhuz was ruled by one or sometimes two and more khans or sultans. In these difficult political conditions, the aggression of the south-eastern neighbor became inevitable.
The main danger came from the Dzungar Khanate, which began an active invasion of the Kazakh lands. Since 1723, in the history of the Kazakh khanates there was a period called by the Kazakhs «Aktaban shubyryndy, Alkakul sulama» – the time of the «Great calamity» of the Kazakh people. This difficult period, associated with the defense of the Fatherland from the Dzungarian invasion, contributed to the emergence of legendary personalities who organized defense against the invaders. The most famous battles in which the Kazakhs won were milestones in the liberation of the Kazakh lands from the Dzungarian invaders: the Bulantin battle (1728), the Anirakai battle (1730). All the batyrs of that era took part in those great battles. Their names remained in the historical memory of the people, however, due to the lack of written language among the Kazakhs, their biography, life and military path, the deeds of some of them, covered in legends and myths, cannot be described in depth, in detail, with complete and reliable facts. Their biographies are represented by a small number of fragments preserved in dastans, epics, folklore, myths, legends, etc., often repeated in publications in various versions and interpretations. One of those characters is a historical figure, Rayimbek batyr from the Alban tribe of the Elder zhuz.
The genealogy (shezhere) of Rayimbek Batyr is tracked in a number of publications. One of the proposed versions is as follows: Alban – Sary – Suyerkul – Shogan – Alzhan (Mambet) – Syrymbet – Khangeldy – Tuke – Rayimbek [2, p. 58].
The name of Khangeldy, the illustrious grandfather of Rayimbek, is recorded in archival documents of the XVII century. In 1733, the sultans and the biys of the Elder Zhuz sent a letter to the Russian Empress Anna Ivanovna requesting their acceptance into Russian citizenship. «Translation from the sheet to h.i.m. from the Kyrgyz-Kaisak Great Horde … From the far side of the near heart of the Kyrgyz-Kaisak Great Horde, the following princes, beks came into the citizenship of thee, the great Empress Empress and the white tsarina: Kodarbi, Tyulyaby, Satay-batyr, Khangildy-batyr and Bulyak batyr, just like the whole horde came into citizenship …» [3, p. 101-102]. In one of the most important written documents of the XVII century from the Kazakhs of the Elder Zhuz, the names of five representatives of the Uly (Elder, transl. – as Great) Zhuz are indicated, among which the most famous personalities are mentioned: Kodar and Tolebii, Satay and Bolek batyr, and along with them there is the name of Khangeldy Batyr, which indicates his very high status in Zhuz. So we can conclude that the family from which Rayimbek came from was famous and quite authoritative not only among the Albanians, but throughout the Elder Zhuz.
At the beginning of the XVII century (according to the «Ulttyk Encyclopediyasy» publication in 1705 [1, p. 430]), a boy was born in the modern Almaty region, who was named Rayimbek, the son of Aitola (mother) and Tuke (father of Rayimbek). Little is known about Rayimbek’s parents. Rayimbek came, as already noted, from a well-known, noble and fairly wealthy family. There are two main versions about Rayimbek’s mother: the first one – she was the sister of Biyeke-batyr from the Alban tribe, the Dosaly clan; the second version – she was the daughter of a batyr (Barak-Kerimbubi) from the genus Zhalayir. The father of Rayimbek Tuke was the son of the famous Batyr Khangeldy from the Alban tribe, the Alzhan clan, the subgenus Syrymbet of the Elder zhuz. The dates of birth and death of Rayimbek, as well as other important life milestones of the batyr, are quite difficult to establish, a number of authors give different versions: among the dates of his life are: 1705-1785 [1, p. 430], 1730-1814 [4, p. 508], 1730-1829 (1830) [2, p. 36] and others.
There is a legend about Rayimbek’s childhood that being a two-year-old child, he bit off the head of a small snake, which crawled into his mouth. From early childhood, he stood out among his peers by force and lack of fear, distinguished by an independent and freedom–loving character. According to legend, when little Rayimbek was still seven years old, his maternal grandfather brought a weapon to the boy, a bow, a quiver with arrows (sadak), a saber (kylysh), a spear (naiza), a battle ax (aibalta), a shield (kalkan) ), armor (sauyt) and foal. The foal was called Kokoinak – that was the future legendary horse of Batyr Rayimbek. [5, р. 154]
According to some reports, at the age of eleven, the boy was left without parents and raised by his grandfather, the famous batyr Khangeldy and his wife Suluke–ana. The period of Rayimbek’s childhood and youth fell on the most difficult years of the Kazakh-Dzungarian wars, therefore Rayimbek was brought up and grew up in the atmosphere of the need to protect the Fatherland from invaders, realizing from early childhood that the role of protector of their land was determined for male soldiers. Little Rayimbek learned the art of war and trained his foal. By the age of 15, he became a good warrior, excellently shot from a bow, wielded his sword perfectly, even defeated strong warriors in hand-to-hand fights. His horse Kokoinak was an excellent horse, and Rayimbek won in the baiga many times riding Kokoinak. At the age of seventeen, a young man, taking part in the Kazakh–Dzungarian wars, glorified himself and received the title of batyr [6, p. 4].
Kazakh epics spoke about the strength and courage of young Rayimbek. Such Kazakh historical oral monuments include the epic about Rayimbek batyr [5], which was not translated into Russian for a long time. In 2010, M.O. Auezov Institute of History and Art published the book «Kazakh Epic», the first annotated contents of sixty-three Kazakh epics, including one of the examples of the historical epic about Rayimbek Batyr were published [7]. It reflected the main episodes and plot-forming actions of this historical character. The main content of the historical epic about Rayimbek allows to clarify fragments of the batyr’s biography. What does this epic tell us about?
Young Rayimbek, having heard that his grandfather Khangeldy had gathered warriors and went to fight with the enemies without taking his grandson with him, came to his mother and began to beg her to let him go and bless him in the battle with the enemies, the Kalmaks. He believed that he should avenge them for the invasion of the Kazakh lands. Having received the blessing of his mother, Rayimbek batyr put on his armor and set off. When he entered the forest located on the bank of Ili, a tiger came out to meet him. The young batyr pulled an arrow and directed it into the heart of the tiger, nailing it to the ground to death. Having removed the skin from the tiger and stuffed it with straw, he tied it to a horse and took it with him. Soon he caught up with the army of Grandfather Khangeldy. It turned out that they stopped on the shore, not having the opportunity to cross to the other side of the Ili river. The sarbazes of his grandfather, not recognizing the young man, began to question the young man: where he came from, what his origin was, what his tribe was. Rayimbek without telling them anything about himself promised to help them in the crossing: «I will guide you. You bless me. After that we’ll get to know me». Having decided that a young man could help, the soldiers gave their blessing. Rayimbek called out his horse and with the cry «Rayimbek, Rayimbek» entered the swift waters of a turbulent, wide-spreading river, swam to the other side, examined the area and returned back. [7, р. 166-167]
He asked the warriors to give him thirty (forty) dzhigits, eighty lasso and take their battle axes. On the advice of Rayimbek, the soldiers built a wide raft of reeds, almost the length of Ili, and tied the lasso to the raft on both sides. Astride his Kokoinak the young man, holding a lasso under his knee, entered the seething river again. On his instructions dzhigits lowered the raft into the water and began to push it, holding it in rough waters. Crossing Ili again, Batyr tied a lasso to a tree on one side of the opposite bank and, returning, fixed the raft with a lasso on the other side of the coast where the army was located. Next morning after spending the night, due to the youth’s ingenuity, he crossed through Ili. After that, the young batyr called his name: «I am from the Albanian clan, the grandson of Khangeldy, the son of Tuken, Rayimbek». The warriors were surprised that Khangeldy did not immediately admit that this was his grandson. Khangeldy answered: «No need to brag about the fact that he is my grandson. If the boy is a real batyr, let him prove it. I thought that he was still very young and, without saying anything to him, left him to pasture the herd. And now, having caught up with us, he transferred everyone across a wide river. Now he is worthy of our ranks». After this incident, the batyrs decided that it was Rayimbek who should lead the army. [5, р. 158]
According to the epic, it was then that the wish was expressed: «Let us have one cry in the fight against enemies. We will fight with the name Rayimbek on the lips» [5, р. 158]. The name «Rayimbek» became a war cry for all Albanians. Then, agreeing to stand at the head of the sarbaz, Rayimbek asked to give him a blessing, and the Ryskeldy batyr was one of the first to give him «bata», other soldiers blessed the young batyr as well. Rayimbek sweared to fight for his people to the last drop of blood and punish the Kalmaks who attacked the Kazakhs and take away their cattle. Having taking sixty soldiers with him, Rayimbek rushed forward, seized the Kalmak cattle and freed his relatives from captivity. The Kalmaks survived said the following about the Kazakh batyr : «Among them there is a young warrior named Rayimbek, either a sorcerer or a shaitan. He can break down the horse of the enemy. When he’s chopping a saber, the eye does not keep track. And his horse is like a mirage. He is very agile. That’s the kind of person we saw, he shouts out his name «Rayimbek, Rayimbek»» [7, р. 167].
After the Kazakh attack, after calculating his loss, the rich Kalmak Azhika complained to Koryn Khan about the loss of livestock, and Koryn Khan instructed the chief vezir Serken to find out who Ryimbek was. Arriving at the headquarters of the Kazakhs on the banks of the Ili river, Serke witnessed the teachings of the Kazakh sarbazes and saw Rayimbek riding a horse, chopping trees with all his sabers. At negotiations with the Kazakhs (led by Rayimbek, Bakai and Aralbai Batyrs), Serke conveyed Koryn Khan’s demands: to return the cattle stolen from the Kalmaks, atone for their guilt, an attack on the Kalmaks, and immediately leave those lands. Otherwise, the vezir said, Koryn Khan promised to cut the Kazakhs. Then, according to the epic, Rayimbek answered: «You go to Koryn Khan and pass on my words: «Let him not dream about it, let him prepare for the battle for three days. On the fourth day I will defeat the horde of Koryn Khan» [7, p. 169].
Returning to the khan, Serke spoke about these negotiations and conveyed his impressions of the young batyr: «One young dzhigit named Rayimbek asked me to tell you that you would not even dream of victory, as he threatened to win the battle in three days. I’m afraid this threat is real. Arriving at their headquarters, we saw the young Rayimbek galloping and cutting down the trees like a wizard. He is very agile and quick, and his horse is a match for him» [7, р. 169]. Khan Koryn was furious and ordered to throw Serkae into zindan (prison), and told his soldiers to prepare for the battle with the Kazakhs. The battle was to take place in Karadal at the foot of Turgen.
According to legend, speaking at a council before the battle against the Kalmak Khan Koryn in Turgen, Rayimbek said: «A lonely man is as one match, everyone can defeat him. In an attack, we must act together like a fist of five fingers. Then no one will defeat our united army» [8, с. 145]. The batyrs Satay, Berdikozha, Aralbai, Yerdes, Zhalayir, Bakay Myktybekuly, Tileke Baiseituly, Bieke batyr and others attended this council.
When the enemy approached the Kazakh home guard, Rayimbek told the soldiers about his plan: the Kazakh soldiers should keep the defense in place, and Rayimbek with four dzhigits who knew the Kalmak language, would dress in the clothes of the enemy, make their way to the center of the enemy army and start the battle, then the main forces of the troops should enter the battle. Unnoticeably to the enemies, Rayimbek and his comrades managed to implement this plan, they made their way to the center of the Kalmak rate. But when he saw that Koryn noticed them and ordered them to be seized, the batyr rushed to Koryn Khan, chopped off his head and, breaking the banner of the Kalmaks, threw him to the ground. Seeing this the Kazakh sarbaz warriors rushed into the thick of the battle with the cry «Rayimbek». The battle was going on until late at night, the batyr Rayimbek distinguished himself with courage and courage. The surviving Kalmaks fled to Seker Khan. [7, p. 170-173] This is only one of the episodes of the courage and military cunning of the batyr and commander Rayimbek.
There are few sources about the life and family of the batyr. There was information that Rayimbek had several wives. In general, Rayimbek had about ten children. His sons Nart, Sart, Azhi, Kozhagul were born by his first wife. According to some reports, Kozhagul was 9 years old when his father Rayimbek batyr died. Kozhagul also took an active part in the political processes on the territory of the Senior Zhuz. The name Kozhagul is found in an archival document: a letter dated June 2, 1845 addressed to the Chief of the Frontier Kazakhs of Siberia, Major General Vishnevsky and the assessor of the Ayagoz District Order of Smelnitsky from the Kazakhs of the Elder Zhuz. Among the signatories of the letter, biys and batyrs, there was also the son of Rayymbek, Kozhagul [9, p. 4-6; 2, p. 94]. There was another document signed by Kozhagul in the name of the same G. Smelnitsky from the genuses of the Elder Zhuz (Zhalayir, Dulat, Shaparashty, Suan, Ysty, etc.) with a request to open a separate district for them [10, p. 1-3; 8, p. 147]. There is also evidence that Kozhagul may have participated in determining the border between China and the Russian Empire in 1862-1863 [8, p. 147].
Even during the life of Rayimbek, the Kazakhs considered him a clairvoyant. Having lived a long life, the purpose of which was to defend the Fatherland, he won great fame and respect for the people, who recognized him during his lifetime for all the merits of «aulia» (saints). Many Kazakhs talked about seeing a batyr in a dream after his death, and Rayimbek predicted a future that would come true [11, p. 7].
Sensing the approach of his death, Rayimbek gathered his friends and associates and said goodbye to them. According to legend, the batyr bequeathed to put him on his beloved white camel after his death and bury them where the camel would be exhausted and stop. He died in Saryzhaz, and the camel went to the present city of Almaty from that place. The researchers believe that he predicted his death and the place where he would be buried [11, p. 7].
Merits
Warrior, commander, diplomat and fighter for the liberation of the Seven Rivers from the Dzungarian invaders. For military strategy and courage, Abylai Khan appointed Rayimbek one of his generals. According to a number of publications [12; 13], Rayimbek took part in the main battles of the Kazakh-Dzungarian wars of the 1720s-1730s (Bulantinsky, Anyrakai and other battles), but there were no mentions of this in oral historical legends, there are no written sources. According to some sources, in 1733 Rayimbek, together with Bolek batyr, was in Dzungaria as an ambassador [14, p. 386; 5, p. 4]. More detailed materials was preserved on the participation of Rayimbek in the Kazakh-Dzungarian wars of the 40-50s of the XVIII century. This period was difficult for the Dzungars: unrest, conspiracies, executions, an epidemic, the defeat of the Dzungar army in the war with Kokand, in Central Asia, and the invasion of the Kirghiz weakened the once powerful nomadic empire. The internal political situation and the long wars against the Kazakh khanates, the Qing empire, the Kokand bekism, the depletion of resources, the cessation of trade, natural disasters, etc., worsened and led to a severe economic crisis in Dzungaria. The lieutenant of the Russian army F. Ablyazov, who returned from Dzungaria, reported that the oirats «have a very small number of iron and many have no mines … The number of fire rifles is not enough, there is little gunpowder and bullets, while others have almost none … and there aren’t enough horses» [15, p. 183]. In these conditions of weakening Dzungaria, the Kazakhs intensified the struggle for the liberation of their lands from the invaders.
In the 1740s – 1750s the struggle for Zhetysu intensified: warriors from the tribes of the Senior Zhuz (Albany Rayimbek and Malay, Dulat Otegen, Oshakty Sankrak, Shapyrashty Nauryzbay and Kazybek, Zhalayir Yeskeldy, Basentiin Malaysary, Shanyshkly Berdikozha and others) led the battle. The Kazakh troops chased the Dzungars, bypassing Keles, Badam, Turkestan, Sairam. On the Ili coast and on Balkhash, detachments led by batyrs Otegen, Nauryzbay, Malaysary and the older warlords Khangeldy, Berdikeyem, Bike pursued the Dzungarian army to the east. In the dastan «Otegen», the akyn of Tlemis Dospoluly named the glorified warriors who persecuted the enemy: «On one side is the shoulder of Rayimbek, Shinet, Tausar, on the other that of Karakerey Kabanbay, Kanzhigaly Bogenbai...» [6, p. 4].
In the central part of Zhetysu, Bakai, Satay and Malay batyrs, led by Rayimbek, drove the Dzungars to the east, fighting with their commanders Seker, Arys, Aganas. Batyr Rayimbek fought with the Kazakh troops in the east of Almaty against Seker, Arys and Aganas. Nauryzbay batyr fought with the Dzungarian commanders Kaskelen and Chemolgan in the northwest of the tract of Almaty. The partisan actions of the Kazakh sarbazes, mobility and the surprise of the attack gave them great advantages, they smashed the Dzungar detachments, their small guards, conquering their land foot by foot. There were Kazakh legends about batyrs Rayimbek, Otegen and Nauryzbay, dastans «Rayimbek», «Er Otegen», «Karakerey Kabanbay» and «Olzhabay Batyr» stating about those events. Dzungarian legends preserved mention the name of Rayimbek and other batyrs in the woeful exclamation of the Shamal Khan (Chemolgan): «Rayimbek, Karash, Nauryzbay, Otegen, Bolek and Satay scared the life out of us!» [6, p. 4; 17].
The most famous battle led by Rayimbek is «Oyrantobe shaykasy» (1745 [6], 1747 [16] or 1750s [17]), it is described by the Kazakh dastan «Rayimbek». The battle took place in the tract Oyrantobe (Wicked Hill), between the mountains of Toraigyr and Sogety. The battle of «Oyrantobe shaykasy» took place in the Sogeti Valley (Kokpek zhazygy). Seker Noyon, having known about the death of Koryn Khan, called the Dzungarian commanders Aganas and Arys and ordered to assemble an army on the plain of Kokpekty for the battle.
Raiymbek used military tactics, he divided his soldiers into three groups. One group was commanded by the batyr Bakai, who crossed the Turgen River and came to the Sogheti Valley from the southwest through the Asa Plateau and the Chilik Valley. The second part of the Kazakh warriors of the batyr Satay descended into the valley from the north-west from Ili side through the Buguty mountain pass. The third group, Rayimbek and his sarbazes, dressed in the Kalmak clothes, made their way to the center to Seker through Kokpek, and Rayimbek shot him with a bow. (Second option: Raiymbek, firing from a bow, wounded Seker standing on the tower in his right shoulder, and soon after that, Seker was executed). Dzhungars retreated to the mountains of Toraigyr.
Having a little rest after the battle, the Kazakh troops continued the offensive, reached the Sumbe river. Aganas and Arys, having heard about the approach of Rayimbek’s troops, decided to flee to China. In 1758, Rayimbek together with the batyrs Nauryzbay, Otegen and Malay defeated the last army of the Dzungars on the border of Sumbe and cleared the land along the Ili river from the enemies. According to legend, after this battle, Rayimbek and Bakai received the title «Bas Batyr». As the authors wrote, «judging by passages from dastans and tales of Kabay–zhyrau» [6, p. 4], Rayimbek thought over all military operations, carefully studied the terrain of the future battle, calculated the chances of the upcoming battle, never went ahead, trying to avoid the enemies or defeat them without loss, or with small losses.
According to legend, Rayimbek batyr defeated the famous Dzungarian noyons Koryn, Badam, Aganas and Seker and others in martial arts. It is no coincidence that in the Kalmak legends there were the following lines: «Kosh, Taushilіk, Zhalagash, Tunildi khanyn Aganas, Rayimbek turganda, bizdiki emes mal men bas» («Farewell, Taushilik, Zhalagash, Khan Aganas lost hope from you, When there is Rayymbek, Cattle and people will not be ours») [18, p. 3].
As a result of the victories of the Kazakhs, the borders along the Tekes and Karkara rivers were determined. Not far from Sumbe is a hill called Kyzyl Oba. It is a pile of reddish boulders almost eight meters high. This structure, according to legend, is associated with the campaign of Rayimbek during the pursuit of the remains of the Dzungars led by Arys and Aganas to Kuldzhi. Rayimbek’s trops, having rested after the exile and the last battles with the Dzungars, accompanied by the liberated Kazakh population, went to their native nomads. In the tract Sumbe Rayimbek drew attention to the fertile lands around. «We need to establish a memorial sign so that no one else claims our land», Rayimbek told his entourage and offered to pour a hill of stones [8, р. 146]. In order to build a mound of reddish stones, stones were brought from the coast of Lake Tuzkol Later, in the middle of the XIX century, with the demarcation of the border and the division of the land between the Russian Empire and China (after the accession of the Elder Zhuz to Russia), the Kyzyl Oba mound became a landmark in determining the border [19, p. 56; 6, p. 4].
Under the direction of Rayimbek irrigation canals were dug [14, p. 386]. To the north of Oyrantobe, in the lowland below the Mount Toryaygyr there is a spring of Rayimbek. According to legend, Rayimbek brought an thirsty army to this area and, wanting to find water, he plunged his sword into the dry earth, and a spring sprang out from the sword [6, p. 4].
Having got the fame at the age of 17, batyr Rayimbek participated in the military battles against the Dzungars for more than 30 years, received 77 wounds. And, according to legend, did not defeat a single battle. He participated in the liberation of the Kazakh lands from the Dzungarian invaders together with his grandfather Khangeldy and other famous warriors.
The meaning of life, the batyr’s love for his homeland is reflected in the words attributed to Rayimbek: «The people with the cry of the ancestors «Alban» are my people, my motherland is the Zhetysu, dzailau is Asa, the winter hut is the beauty of Alma–Ata» [6, p. 4]
Memory
Written sources directly or indirectly related to the life and work of Rayimbek are rare and stored in different archives and libraries. Information about this is recorded in a letter from the director of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Kazakh SSR, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR A.N. Nusupbekov (dated December 31, 1966) in response to a request dated October 14, 1963 to the chairman of the Alma–Ata City Executive Committee, Ye.D. Duisenov. One of the documents, a fragment of which was given in this article, is in the Archive of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation (AFPR). This is the letter of the Kazakhs of the Elder Zhuz to Anna Ioannovna, which was signed by the biys and the batyr, including Rayimbek, Khangeldy’s grandfather (AFPR, fund 122, case 5, 1733-1735, Moscow). There is another archival document related to the son of Rayimbek, Kozhagul. During the life of batyr Rayimbek, the territory of the Elder Zhuz was not part of the Russian Empire. But his son Kozhagul batyr signed an act on behalf of the Kazakh tribes Alban and Cuan. The act stated the voluntary accession of those tribes to the Russian Empire (Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan CSA RK, fund 7374, case 1616, Almaty). The 151-page manuscript «Rayimbek Campaigns» (document No 1670), located at the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Kazakh SSR, is also mentioned.
The architect of the Leninsky district of the city of Alma-Ata Imanbayev wrote in 1967: «… as a district architect, I ask and advise to apply for a request to protect the grave of Rayimbek Khangeldin, and create an eternal monument of architecture to him» [2, p. 75-76].
In the 1960s – 1970s, the descendants of batyr Rayimbek sent a series of letters of appeal addressed to the first secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee, D.A. Konayev, to the Ministry of Culture of the Kazakh SSR, etc. with a request to perpetuate his memory, including preserving the burial and making a tombstone. It was then that in the middle of the previous XX century, work on the expansion of the city and the construction of facilities began. On the outskirts of Tashkent Street, an earthen hill rose in a wasteland. Under them there were the remains of batyr Rayimbek. City legends spoke about the misfortunes and troubles that fell upon some of the hardworking builders who dug up and appropriated the money of the pilgrims that they left at Rayimbek’s grave. The old people said that the spirit of Rayimbek was angry and sent the ailments and problems of the afflicted to those who were coveting the money of the pilgrims.
An interesting incident occurred during an attempt to level the grave of the batyr with the ground: the equipment, stalled for no reason, stopped working. Moreover, as eyewitnesses told, the tractor started and drove in any direction, except for the direction of Rayimbek’s grave. The demolition work was stopped. After that, as the authors wrote, no one encroached on Rayimbek’s grave. In the end, construction was started around the wasteland, without affecting the burial place of the auliye-batyr [12].
Mausoleum of Rayimbek. Architectural monument. // Access mode:http://comode.kz/post/zhizn–goroda/v–chest–kogo–nazvan–prospekt–nizhe–kotorogo–net–zhizni–v–almaty/
In 1981 a granite stele was installed on the grave of Rayimbek in Alma–Ata. In 1990, the «Rayimbek» historical and ethnographic society came out with the initiative to erect a mausoleum on the batyr’s grave, in 1992 a mausoleum was built (architects B. Ybrayev, Sh. Otepbayev, S. Agytayev) [14, p. 386]. The mausoleum has an unusual shape in the form of a pointed tent with a crescent on its top. There is a sarcophagus with the remains of a great hero inside. Nearby is the figure of the legendary white camel of Rayimbek. The mausoleum has become a place of pilgrimage for the Kazakhs.
The monument to Rayimbek batyr was opened on December 7, 2012 in the city of Almaty at the intersection of Raiyimbek and Pushkin Streets. The height of the bronze sculpture with a pedestal of red granite is more than 12 meters. Rayimbek in full armor sits on his legendary horse Kokoinak. The sculptor of the monument is Ye. Rakhmadiyev, the designer is I. Polyakov, the architect is V. Nemchikov [20].
The years of the batyr’s life are engraved on the pedestal, 1705-1785. The following lines of the poem by M. Makatayev are below on the scroll: «Urpagyna medet ber, Uly babam!» («Help the descendants, Great Ancestor!»)
Monument of Rayimbek batyr in the city of Almaty. Access mode:https://www.inform.kz/ru/v–almaty–otkryt–pamyatnik–rayymbek–batyru
The monument to Rayimbek batyr was also erected in the Almaty region, 300 km east of the city of Almaty in the town of Kasseny (architect is K. Yegizbayev). It was opened on September 15, 1996. Equestrian monuments to Rayimbek are in the village of Narynkol, in the Rayimbek district on the Almaty-Kegen highway.
In 1997, instead of the Narynkol and Kegen regions of the Almaty region, the Rayimbek district was created. One of the central streets of Almaty, a village in the suburbs of Almaty, the Almaty metro station were named after the batyr. In 2005, Kazakhstan celebrated the 300th anniversary of the birth of Rayimbek batyr. Batyr Rayymbek devoted a lot of poems, novels, works of art, paintings of figures of Kazakh culture. Among them: the poem of M. Makataev «Rayimbek, Rayimbek!» (1971), the dilogy of Zh. Turlybaev «Tamez tany» (second part «Rayimbek», 1992), S. Kumisbayuly «Rayimbek batyr. History, Personality, Time» (2007), and others.
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Author: Saktaganova Z.G., Doctor of Historical Sciences