The Talysh number more than 600.000, of which 430.000 live in TALISHISTAN, a country included by Stalin's regime in the artificial, new made state of Azerbaijan in 1921. TALISHISTAN forms now the south-east of the Republic of Azerbaijan, near the Iranian border. The capital of TALISHISTAN is LENKORAN, other major towns are Lerig and Astara on the Iranian border The rest of the Talysh live across the border in the Iranian province of Gilan, in a long strip of territory along the Caspian coast, from Astara to the Rasht area. They occupy a land of sharp contrasts, ranging from the high, forested Talysh Mountains, to the subtropical coastal land along the Caspian Sea.

The Talysh refer to themselves as 'Talushon', and speak an Indo-European language (as Persian and Armenian....) afiliated to the Persian/Farsi language: The language is also called Talysh. Most of the Talysh Nation speaks its native language, plus they are bi-trilingual, speaking Azeri, Russian or Farsi. The Talyshs have lived in the southwest Caspian Sea region for thousands of years. During Turk-Seljouk invasions, Talishistan payed a high price. Nevertheless, even in those black days of Turkish oppressions in the Middle Ages, Talysh people resisted bravely and managed to established its own Statehood (khanate) in the XVII th century. In the early XIXth century, TALISHISTAN and the Talysh people of present day Azerbaijan fell under Russian control, After The Gulistan and Turkmenchey treaties. This was a big troma for the Talysh nation, since from that date, TALISHISTAN was to be separated in two parts, Southern and Northern. Most of Talysh found themselves under Russian rule, separated from their relatives in the south, and most of all, separated from their natural, Iranian/Oriental culture.

Russian rule continued until 1991, the collapse of Soviet Union. But things began to look gray well before, since bolshevik revolution, when Stalin Included various people's native lands (Armenians, Lezghins, Talyshs, Avars, Georgians, Tzagours, Tats...), to create the Republic of Azerbaijan, placing the whole under the relative majority's rule, the Turk-Tatars, now renamed Azeris. Stalin's need of this artificial Republic was dictated by it's agressive Bolshevik Revolutionary plans!!!! By naming this Heterogenous Republic 'Azerbaijan', he clearly wanted to Invade and Annex the Northern parts of Iran, called historically AZARBAYTCHAN/ADERBADAGAN/ADROBADENE.

He realised his plan at the end of WWII, when Soviet Army invaded Northern Iran, and ruled it for two years, untill the Western Allies imposed his retreat. By giving the power to the then Caucasian Tatars (Turks), he was again in his Bolshevik plans, since he was pleasing in this way Turkey, and most of all its then 'anti-western' dictator, called Mustafa Kemal..... (See also the fate of Nakhitchevan and Karabagh placed under Azeri rule following the same accord Stalin-Kemal in 1921). Since 1921, life was not very easy for Talysh people, summitted to a hiden Turkification plans, under sovietisation cover. All 'nationalist',Talish intelectuals were labeled anti-revolutionaries, and sent to Siberia by Baku's KGB, or disapeared in the Caspian.... Hiden Turkification turned agressive after WWII, with many Talyshs 'turned' Azeri, most in major towns and exposed to discrimination...... Things got bad whit the nomination of Heidar Aliev, as chief of the KGB in Azerbaijan. He once claimed 'achieving the dilution of 300 000 talyshs into Azeris' during his rule.... The situation got worse after Azerbaijan's independance in 1991. The same draft problems apeared in TALISHISTAN, related to the war in Karabagh. (See similar details in LEZGISTAN, ZAGATALA....).

In 1993, at the hight of the war in Karabagh, and with it, the huge human losses of the Talysh people, a popular uprising began in TALISHISTAN!!!!. People refused to serve in the army, since Karabagh and Armenia were not a matter for Talyshs. Oppression followed............... In Reaction, Talyshs declared Independance from Azerbaijan, in the 7 districts of TALISHISTAN, with LENKORAN as a capital. The official name was 'THE TALYSH-MOUGHAN REPUBLIC', it included all territories south of the Kura and the Araz rivers. Baku's reaction was furious, not least because there are huge oil fields in Talyshistan and in its caspiat offshores........ Heidar Aliev sent in the Army and the Omon, and crushed the independantists. Western sources reported dozens of killed, ..... Hundreds were sent to neo-KGB cells in Baku and Gobustan prisons. The leader of the revolt, is still in prison, and Considered by the International NGOS as the N°1 POLITICAL PRISONOR in Azerbaijan. The PACE asked Aliev to liberate all political prisonors, among them the President of Talyshistan. Regardless of all theese, and its engagements, Azerbaijan is the only state in the European Consil to have Political prisonors. Some Opposition figurs say more than 11 000 POLITICAL PRISONERS.....

NATIONAL CARACTERISTICS OF THE TALYSH The majority of the Talyshs are farmers. In some areas, rice is the primary crop; in other, wheat and barley are grown. Tea and citrus fruits are raised in the lowlands near the Caspian Sea. Talishistan's Tea is famous in the Caucasus and the ex-USSR Many of the Talyshs living in the lowlands cultivate fresh produce, including garlic, onions, pumpkins, melons, peas and grapes. But not all Talysh are farmers. Some have become skilled craftsmen. Their primary handicrafts include the silk production, rugs, and felt. Some work with tin, make shoes, or design jewellery. The Talyshs living in mountainous areas typically live in flat roofed homes built of uncut stone. Those on the coastal zone live in clay houses that have roofs made of reeds or sedge (grass like plants with solid stems). The homes usually have high doors reaching to the ceiling, since there is no opening in the roof to allow smoke from the cooking fires to escape. The traditional Talysh homes have no furniture. However, today, a growing number of homes have adopted Western-style furnishings. Talysh women once wore traditional Muslim clothing, which consisted of veils over their faces and long robes that completely covered their bodies. Today, many Talysh women, especially those in TALISHISTAN, have abandoned the customary outfit and wear Western-style clothing. Although Islamic law permits men to have as many as four wives, most Talysh men take only one wife. Boys usually marry while they are between the ages of 16 and 20; whereas, girls usually wed while they are between the ages of 14 and 18. The groom's family is required to pay a bride price, or 'kebin', which consists of money and items such as carpets and utensils. To avoid paying the kebin, a young man will sometimes "kidnap" the prospective bride, taking her as wife. This a kidnap where the 2 paertners are consentent, and part of Caucasian folklore......:)) The Talysh are Muslim Shias, as the Iranians. Some remnants of Talysh pre-Islamic religion remain. For example they have a reverence for trees and groves (As Armenians), and trees form some of their most sacred sites. They also believe in the presence of both good and evil spirits, with the most dangerous spirit being 'Alazhan', the 'Red Woman'. Alazhan is believed to attack women during childbirth as well as new-born babies.