The village Damla – a piece of peace

The Karakum desert lies all along the central area of the Turkmenistan (more than 70 %). In the middle of the arid sprawl of vast Karakum desert, the tiny settlement of Damla village is a unique sample of traditional Turkmenistani life. The local inhabitants go about their daily lives quietly and simply and a visit to Damla is a unique opportunity to see and experience a piece of their way of life.

Located 100 kilometres east of the famous Darvaza crater. Damla is secluded and cut off and only way to connect other civilization is by endless sandy dunes. Indeed, many of the villagers trek kilometres to neighbouring towns like Bekuri, on foot or carried on camels or horseback for supplies and services. Use of vehicles are not ordinary but you can come across with motorcycles.

The location of the settlement is on a plane area in the middle of sandy hills. That gives opportunity-gathering rainwaters there and inhabitants use gathered rainwater for their daily lives. Damla means ‘water drop’ in Turkic languages. The name of the village is closely connected with their water supplies.

There are nearly 60 dwellings and they are made by soil brick and plastered by clay. You can see the essential turkmen traditional tent ‘gara öý’ next to small rectangle soil houses. Most of the villagers are good farmers and hunters. Camels, goats and sheep main income source for farming in the midst of the desert. Other benefactions of the wise Karakum is desert animals. Villagers still use falcons and greyhounds for hunting. Falcons and Turkmen greyhound ‘tazy’ are effective tools in rabbit hunting.

However, precisely Damla’s isolation creates its charm; see and experience for yourself the marvel of the peace and tranquillity of this preserved piece of Turkmenistan. The access possibilities of the village makes technology useless. If there is no gas station, it is useless to have a car. If there is no electricity, it is useless to have a television. The village shows us how to live without technology. Maybe true happiness is in primitive life who knows…