Two Dagestani festivals in the Kremlin

By Vestnik Kavkaza

2013 is the Year of Rasul Gamzatov in Dagestan. Festive arrangements devoted to the 90th anniversary of the great poet’s birthday are taking place not only in Dagestan, but also in Moscow. On October 12th the gala night devoted to the 200th anniversary of Dagestan’s accession to Russia and the anniversary of Gamzatov took place in the State Kremlin Palace.

Opening the event, the head of Dagestan Ramazan Abdulatipov stated: “200 years ago we gained a Russian destiny. We became a part of the big state. And it significantly influenced the economic, cultural and educational development of Dagestan. Dagestan together with Russia passed through difficult pages. There were wars and conflicts, but always Dagestan and Russia, Russian people and Dagestan people retain dignity.

What does it mean to be a great poet in the country where Pushkin, Derzhavin, Lermontov and lived? But Rasul Gamzatov was the great poet. He was the great poet of Dagestan, the great poet of Russia, and one of the most favorite poets of Russia. When Vladimir Putin unveiled the monument to Rasul Gamzatov, he said important words: “When we are together, we are Russia!” Today we are together and it means we are Russia. We are one country and one nation. We are proud of our country, we are proud of every constituent of Great Russia.”

Putin paid attention to the festival in the Kremlin Palace as well. He sent a letter to the audience, in which he noted that “two centuries is a great historic period which includes the destiny and lives of many generations,” and he called Rasul Gamzatov “a man of big heart and a real citizen and partriot.”

Stars of the concert shared with Vestnik Kavkaza with their personal memories about Rasul Gamzatov.

“We have one family, big country – Russia. Rasul Gamzatov loved our band, the quartet “Gortsy,”” the People’s Artist of Dagestan, Abdula Magomedmirzayev, says. “We have many songs with lyrics by Rasul Gamzatov. He was acquainted to all of us. We often visited his home. He always was glad to see us: “Guys, don’t leave me! Come to me as soon as possible.””

“He loved people, he loved women, he loved beauty,” the artist, Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Moscow, Polad Byul-Byul Ogly, recalls. “He was a true poet and people turned to him. He liked sharp jokes, he was the life and soul of a party and remained a great person. The song with his lyrics “Dulalai”: it seems to be a song with simple lyrics, but when I saw them I wrote the song at once. Sometimes it is difficult to right a song, but that time the song was born in my soul, as if the lyrics lived inside of me. Since that time I sing the song at all my concerts.”

“I saw how Yan Frenkel sang “Cranes” and it deeply impressed me for whole my life.” a singer, People’s Artist of Russia and People’s Artist of Georgia, Tamara Gverdtsiteli, says. “I am happy that many years later I met Rasul Gamzatov. We are happy that he was our contemporary.”