Know the mystery behind the mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan

New Delhi: Volcanoes and volcanic eruptions: we associate these words with mighty natural phenomena which change the face of the Earth. They take us back to those distant times when the Earth was a lifeless planetary body on which the elements of fire and water raged.Azerbaijan does not have a single active volcano, but they do have mud volcanoes which instead of ash and lava, burst out mud. It is not particularly dangerous to be there unless of course you are there at the wrong time. Azerbaijan is exceptionally rich in surface gas seeps, some of which are alight. This gas flares which accompany the eruption of mud volcanoes are particularly impressive.The burning flames have attracted people's attention since time immemorial, and they became an object of worship. This is shown by the numerous fire temples at Nush-Dzhan-Tepe, Adurgushnaep, Surakhany, Pirallahi, Hovsany, Shakhdag and elsewhere. The history of fire worship in Azerbaijan and the neighbouring regions of Iran has its roots deep in the past, at the beginning of the first millenium A.D.The cult of fire worship was of paramount importance throughout the history of pre-Islamic Iran. The greatest mud volcanoes in the world, Boyuk Kyanizadag, Touragai, Boyuk Kharamy and Kaimas, rise majestically above the surrounding landscape. Mud volcanoes usually form mounds of varying size. They take the form of a truncated cone, from 5 to 500 m high, outwardly resembling a magmatic volcano.Mud volcanoes are essentially instruments for taking gas and mineral waters, sometimes with traces of oil, together with the associated mud, from great depths (8-12 km) and depositing them on the surface. After eruption the breccias undergoes rapid erosion, and the mud flows are reworked into a complex system of gulleys and ridges, fanning-out from the crater margins. The mud of these volcanoes have healing power too. Mud, obtained mainly from slit deposits, peatbog or sapropelic muds, are used extensively around the world for curative purposes in the form of injections, baths, washes, compresseses etc. The solutions from volcanic mud appears as a transparent liquid with yellowish coluration, odourless, and salty to the test. In addition, the results of these experiments show that the mud solution may be recommended as a new form of mud preparation, used in electrophoresis for curing various diseases: diseases of the joints and vertebrae, osteochondrosis, diseases of the periperal nerves, initial forms of atheroscerosis and hypertonic disease, gyna-ecological diseases etc.The mud volcanoes are a treasure trove of prehistoric rock carvings, the mud volcanoes themselves, and a natural musical stone called the Gaval Dash. Only to be found in Gobustan, this amazing large, flat stone, formed from three supports, produces tambourine-like sounds when struck. So what are you waiting for? Azerbaijan awaits.