 Cover | |
| Author | Saparmurat Niyazov |
|---|---|
| Original title | Рухнама |
| Language | Turkmen |
| Subject | Culture of Turkmenistan, Turkmen people |
| Publisher | Turkmen State Publishing Service |
Publication date |
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| Publication place | Turkmenistan |
The Ruhnama, or Rukhnama, translated into English as Book of the Soul, is a two volume work written by Saparmurat Niyazov, the president of Turkmenistan from 1990 to 2006. It was intended to serve as a tool of state propaganda, emphasising the basis of the Turkmen nation.[1][2]
The Ruhnama was introduced to Turkmen culture in a gradual but eventually pervasive way. Niyazov first placed copies in the nation's schools and libraries but eventually went as far as to make an exam on its teachings an element of the driving test. It was mandatory to read Ruhnama in schools, universities and governmental organisations. New governmental employees were tested on the book at job interviews.
After the death of Niyazov in December 2006, its popularity remained high.[citation needed] However, in the following years, its ubiquity had waned as President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow removed it from the public school curriculum and halted the practice of testing university applicants on their knowledge of the book.[citation needed]
- ^ Kalder, Daniel (29 December 2006). "A dictator's guide to the universe". The Guardian.
- ^ Bouma, Amieke (2011). "Turkmenistan: Epics in Place of Historiography". Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas. 59 (4): 559–585. doi:10.25162/jgo-2011-0023. JSTOR 41445759. S2CID 148953638.