Basmanda
Basmanda is a village in Sughd Region, northern Tajikistan. It is part of the jamoat Vahdat in Devashtich District. With a population of nearly 8000, it is one of the largest villages of the district. Basmanda is situated in the foothills of the Turkestan Range.
Basmanda is a historical and cultural village located in the Vahdat Jamoat, Devashtich District, in the Sughd Region of northern Tajikistan.
History and Etymology
The name "Basmanda" originates from ancient Eastern Iranian languages, and its historical form was likely Marsmanda or Masmanda. According to linguistic research, the name consists of two roots from Iranian origin: bas meaning "pass" or "road", and manda meaning "place" or "dwelling".The evolution of the name followed this phonetic sequence:
Marsmanda → Masmanda → Basmanda,
a common linguistic phenomenon seen in regional dialects. The replacement of "m" with "b" is especially typical for northern Tajik dialects, as both are labial consonants.
Some historical sources link the name Marsmanda with the Sogdian **market calendar system**. As described by the scholar Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Sogdians held markets on specific days of their calendar, each with a unique name. The 29th day was called Marspand or Marspant, and Marsmanda might have been the name of a settlement known for its market held on that day.