Ashugh Jivani Day was celebrated in Kartsakhi, Akhalkalaki

Jivani Day was solemnly celebrated in the native village of the famous Armenian ashugh Jivani on August 27, Jnews.ge reports. Residents of Kartsakhi village of Akhalkalaki traditionally dedicate one of the last days of July to the celebration of the great Armenian ashugh Jivani. The celebration began with the laying of flowers to the ashugh monument, installed in the middle of the village, after which the participants of the celebration went to the Jivani House Museum, where they got acquainted with the biography and cultural heritage of the creator. His songs and music were performed at the festival.

The ensembles “Jivani” and “Javakhk” of the Akhalkalaki House of Culture led by ashugh Alik Javakhk brightened Jivani Day with their performances. The “Sayat-Nova” ensemble of the RA Public Radio performed on the stage with songs and poems by Jivani. The favorite songs of Jivani and other ashughs were played.

Jivani (Serob Stepani Levonian, 1846, Kartsakhi village – 1909, Tiflis) was an Armenian ashugh, folk singer, born in a farmer’s family. At the age of eight, he was orphaned, and his uncle looked after him. From early childhood, Jivani mastered the well-known canons of the ashugh song from the famous Ashugh Ghara-Ghazar (Siya), learned to play kemanche and violin, and also wrote songs in Turkish and Armenian. In 1866, a young ashugh Sazain (Aghajan) arrived in the village of Kartsakhi.

Together with him, Jivani moved to Tiflis, where he started his musical career of ashugh. Then (from 1868 to 1895) his musical activities were further developed in Alexandropol. Jivani’s works are a mirror of the Armenian reality of that era. Jivani advocated for enlightenment and science, love for the motherland and family, and taught to earn daily bread with your efforts, never give up because “the days of failures will come and go.” National and religious differences were alien to him. Jivani raised the ashugh art to a new level. About 800 songs of Jivani have survived to our days, about 550 of which are printed.