Baitik Baatyr

Baityk (Baitik) Kanayev (1820-1886) was a hereditary manap of the Solto family in the Chui Valley. He was one of the leaders of the struggle against the oppression of the Kokand khanate. He was nicknamed “batyr” by the people for his courage and strength. At the beginning of 1860 he came under the patronage of Russians. By 1862 he had become the recognized head of the Solto clan association. Baitik-batyr was known as an implacable enemy of the Kokand rule and a friend of Russia, he rebelled and destroyed the Kokand governor in Bishkek, Rakhmatulla. With 200 riders participated in the capture by Russian troops Merke, Aulie-Ata, Chymkent and several other Kokand fortresses. His services were highly appreciated by the royal power. He was awarded the rank of captain in the Russian army, the Order of Stanislav of the 3rd degree, the Gold Medal on the Annensky Ribbon, and a ring and a caftan of honor. He was invited to St. Petersburg in 1867 at the coronation ceremony of Alexander II. It should be noted that anti-Kokand tendencies were not a universal phenomenon among the Salto clan. The revolt raised by Baitik reflected the mood of only one wing of the clan. Part of the Sotho, led by the manaps Zhangsharach, Maimyl, and Tyn-aly, did not want to submit to the Russian authorities and migrated to the upper reaches of the Talas. In addition, the Manaps created their own druzhiny and openly resisted the Russian troops. Only in 1864, after the death of Manap Zhanagarach, his sons and Manap Kokum began to establish relations with the Russian authorities.
Baitik Baatyr died in 1886 and was buried at the foot of Boz-Peldek mountain (1395 m), near Bishkek. This is an ancient Kyrgyz cemetery (khan’s graves). There is a mausoleum (gumbez) built over the grave of Baytik-Khan, which was restored in 1990. The mausoleum is a domed building in the Eastern style. This place is considered holy by the local population and is equipped with a special room for prayer. The hill offers a view of his native ail, which after his death became known as Baitik ail.
Nearby, his son Uzbek is buried, above whose grave is a tall lattice forged tower with a dome, made without a single welded joint. There is an assumption that it was made in St. Petersburg in 1912, so it has almost no oriental motifs.