Tbilisoba in Moscow

By Vestnik Kavkaza

On the last Thursday of October, Tbilisi traditionally celebrates city day, which this year was celebrated not only in Georgia but also in Moscow. The autumn festival Tbilisoba took place in Moscow’s Hermitage garden. Every visitor could crush the grapes and make their own hinkali and churchkhela and many more things in special workshops. And all this with the fiery Georgian music. A wide range of visual arts was presented at the festival in a separate exhibition, and arts and crafts could be seen at the fair. In general, one can safely say that the autumn festival was a success. Georgian music, cooking and of course, wonderful weather, united Muscovites regardless of their nationality.

“As a representative of the Georgian side and carrier of Georgian traditions who was raised and for a long time lived in Moscow, I wish the Georgian and Russian people would be together like in the Soviet Union and during hundreds of years, would be friends and brothers to restore everything for the future generation to know Georgia,” the head of the youth movement “The Union of Georgians in Russia,” Levan Dzhakhaya.

“Tbilisoba is the day of the city. It became the city day 30 years ago, previously it was just a celebration of the harvest,” Tamta Pulariani, Head of Department of Culture of the Union of Georgians in Russia, told Vestnik Kavkaza. “In October, when all harvests are collected, mostly of course the grapes, the harvest and the products made from it were brought to the capital of Georgia, and the fair and the festivities began. Usually they take several days. We of course do not celebrate for several days , just for one day. But we have tried to bring the Tbilisi spirit, the spirit of the harvest, of people crushing grapes in a winepress, preparing tartara, chhurchhela or kebab, we tried our best to bring this atmosphere to Moscow.”

“Almost all Georgians who are currently in Moscow and perform take part in our concert,” Pulariani says. “No one has ever denied. But in today's concert we had a surprise, a wonderful artist Evgeniy Gor particiapted, he sang in Georgian. It was very nice for us. In addition, Honored Artist of Georgia Manana Todadze, Honored Artist of Georgia Temur Tatarashvili, state dance ensemble "Iberia", which is in Moscow for 55 years, a children's dance ensemble perform. Who else? Mamuka Onashvili, whom we love, is also a very famous Georgian singer. A stunning ensemble "Suleyko" and the duo of Teimuraz and Eliza Bodzhgua. The arts and crafts of Georgians, Georgian national produce, things that people always do are presented. There is cloisonne, a unique technique, it has been very popular in Georgia. In addition, there are Georgian knitted woolen products. And everything to do with Orthodoxy.”