Chust

Chust makes two things the country knows it for: the doppi, the square black skullcap embroidered in white with a motif usually read as an almond or a chilli pepper, which is worn across Uzbekistan and is made here by women working at home, and the pichok, a knife with a curved blade and a decorated horn or plastic handle, forged in small workshops in the town. Both are sold in the bazaar.

What you actually see

• The doppi caps - black skullcaps with the white embroidered motif, made in the town.
• The knife workshops - the small forges producing the curved pichok blades.
• The bazaar - where both are sold alongside everything else.
• The home embroidery - the women's work the cap production depends on.

When to go

April to June and September to October are the comfortable months. The bazaar is busiest at weekends. Summer heat is severe.

Honest expectations

Workshop visits are informal and must be arranged locally. Much of what is sold as Chust work is made elsewhere. Facilities in the town are minimal.

Nearby

Namangan is east, and Kokand is south.