Idris Baba madrasah and mausoleum

In the XVII-XVIII centuries, there were a number of scientific centres in the Halach district of Lebap province. In the village Mahtumkuli (formerly Gyzylayak), there were seven madrasas at that time. Madrasas served as the high education centres in the Middle age and many people came to madrasas from all over the Central Asia. The most famous one of them is Idris Baba Madrasa. Because the famous poet and philosopher Mahtumkuli Piragi gained his second education there. He was the son of Dovletmammet Azadi - the philosopher, poet, writer and mullah (teacher). He educated his son himself and he teach his son Arabic and Persian. However, he want his son to be more educated and he sent Mahtumkuli to Idris Baba madrasa. Then, he continued his education in Bukhara and Khiva madrasas. Village took its name from Mahtumkuli Piragi.

The Idris Baba Madrasa was built in the early 17th century approximately in 1640. This madrasa is rectangular in the structure. The madrasa had 24 cells, the outer courtyard was high, and there was a high tower on all four corners of the courtyard. Today, there is a domed building within the tomb of the Idris Baba here.

Idris means "wise." Idris was educated in Bukhara. Idris was a tall, white-faced, very strong, scientifically mature man. He built a madrassa in his village and taught boys. In it, students came not only from Esenmeñli, Pelwert, Halach, Beshir, but also from faraway places and received in-depth education. This madrasa has long served as a university. More than 200 boys and girls were educated and educated under the leadership of Idris Baba at the madrasa. In the madrasa, he taught first then his disciple Niyazguly Halypa continued his job. Idris Baba met Mahtumkuli's Father Dovletmammet Azadi in Bukhara. Azadi sent his son Mahtumkuli to study from Idris Baba because he was impressed from the wise man. It made the Idris Baba madrasah famous being the place of education of great thinker and poet Mahtumkuli.