Achieving greatness: Antranig Zarougian

 Vahe H Apelian 

In Latin characters, Antranig Zarougian’s name is spelled in many other ways such as:  Antranig Dzarugian, Antranik Tsarukian. That is why in the ensuing text I deliberately spelled his name in different ways. I dedicate this blog to my mother who was so fond of Antranig Zarougian.

Courtesy Tsolag Hovsepian (see note 1)

One of my favorite books is Antranig Zarougian’s “The Greats and the Others”. I have read it more than once. I have also translated excerpts, if not whole chapters from the book. But I continue keep referring to it every now and then because both of the color of Antranig Zarougian’s depiction of the characters in his book but also, I am particularly drawn by a statement Antranig Zarougian made on an unnumbered pag, right after the title page. It reads as follows: “The Diaspora is an unstable and slippery ground, where the real greats fail to remain great, and the gifted younger ones are not allowed to achieve greatness”.(see note 2)

I have wondered what compelled Antranig Zarougian to make that statement and have it prominently stood out on the unnumbered blank page right after the title page, especially when the book, as the title notes, is about “The Greats and the others”.

The book is published in 1992. It is a recollection of Antranig Zarougian’s memoirs having dealt with those who stood prominent in the Armenian diaspora. Zarougian was a social activist as well and had personal dealings with each and every one of the greats he wrote about. It is fair that I cite the protagonists of each chapter of the book.

The first chapter is titled “Contrasting twins: Shant-Aghpalian” (pages 9 to 61). Naturally the chapter is about Levon Shant and Nigol Aghpalian. The second chapter is called “The Solitary Giant” (pages 65-118). It is about Hagop Oshagan. The third chapter is titled “The Patriarch of the Armenian Literature” (pages 121-169). The chapter is about Arshag Chobanian. The fourth chapter is titled “The Stinging Bee and the Tiger” (pages 173 - 227). This chapter is about Arshavir Shiragian and Trasdamad Ganayan (Dro). The fifth chapter is titled “A person’s picture and the picture of a person”, (pages 231 -257). The chapter is about Hamo Ohanjanian and Vahan Papazian (Goms). The sixth chapter is titled “The passenger and his ways”, (pages 261- 301). The chapter is about Gostan Zarian. The seventh chapter is titled “The Triumph of the plain” (pages 305 - 315). This chapter is about Shavarsh Missakian. The last chapter is more about the others who in their own ways were no less prominent. The chapter is titled “Road notes – they were and are no more” (pages 319-351). The chapter makes mention of his dealing wiht Aram Andonian, Levon Mozian, Shavarsh Nartouni, Arpeg Minassian, Aharon Dadourian, Vahan Yerjanian, Nigoghos Sarafian, Nshan Beshigtashlian. He ends his book reflecting on his visit to Avedis Aharonian confined to his bed for the past one and half decades under the loving care of his loving and nurturing wife, the gracious and the beautiful sister of Mikael Varantian, who had inflamed many a heart in her younger days and of whom Antranig Zarougian remarked that there still are men who look for angels somewhere else.  

Antranig Zarougian was a social activist and had dealt with each of them and wrote about them in a his beautiful prose, in the context of the diaspora of the day and in the context of the greats interacting with each other and with others. In my view only Antranig Zarougian could have written about these greats, not in lavish praise but as persons made of flesh and blood, like any other.

We should bear in mind that Diaspora came about after the Meds Yeghern and the fall of the first republic in 1920. These greats had already achieved their greatness or had already set their course for greatness and continued charting it in the diaspora. They not only led, but ruled the diaspora of their days. The statement I just made comes from the impressionable child or adolescent I was, growing up and getting to know the diaspora I knew and the these greats ruled.

But Antranig Zarougian, unlike the greats he wrote about, was a child of the diaspora. He was born in Gurun on October 4, 1913. In the ensuing mayhem he had lost both his father and his mother and was growing up under the care of an Armenian orphanage when by a stroke of good fortune in 1921, in Aleppo, he  reunited with his mother of whom he said was the unluckiest of all the women but the dottiest mother and grandmother. 

Antranig Dzarugian was the nature’s gift to his nation, a literary genius with boundless energy. He was a poet, a writer, an educator, a journalist and a publisher and underlying them all was his  persona. He was an activist. In fact he was a rebel with boundless energy. As a teenager he was among the few who were chosen from Aleppo and were sent to Beirut to be educated in Djemaran for leadership. Any other student would have acted in  his best behavior to continue receiving his subsidized education in the premier institution, but not him. He was kicked out of the school and departed with Nigol Aghpalian’s fatherly concern for this unruly teenager.

I imagine that Antranig Dzarougian, about whom much can be written, was cognizant of his literary genius and no less rightfully ambitious to achieve greatness and that is why he noted that “the younger gifted were not allowed to achieve greatness”. But I think that Antranig Zarougian missed the very underlying cause. The very reason that the greats failed to remain great he noted, was the very same reason that kept the ambitious, inordinately gifted rebel to achieve greatness. The cause was in his stars. He was born in the diaspora, although in Gurun in 1913,, and grew up in the diaspora and toiled in the diaspora.

Antranig Zarougian passed away on October 4, 1989 in Paris, the City of Lights, he liked so much. I do not think that there is any Armenian who is remotely interested in Diaspora has not heard of Antranig Zarougian and does not  view him among the Armenian literary greats.

Antranig Zarougian may not have realized when he noted that passage in his book “The Greats and the others”, that he was indeed destined to achieve greatness, and he did.   

***

Note 1. The picture of Antranig Zarougian is from Tzolag Hovsepian’s album “Familiar Faces” (page 83). Tzolag Hovsepian was a professional photographer but he did not claim ownership of the pictures of the “familiar faces” he took, claiming that they belong to the Armenian nation. The picture is taken along the Mediterranean coast in Beirut.

Note 2: The original quote, բնագիրը՝ «Սփիւռքը անկայուն եւ լպրծուն գետին է, ուր մեծերը չեն յաջողիր մեծ մնալ, իսկ օժտուած կրտսերներուն թոյլ չի տրուիր որ մեծնան»

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A perplexing post

 

Vahe H Apelian

I have not had the opportunity to meet Dikran Abrahamian M.D., the founder of Keghart.com journal in person, but I have talked to him on numerous occasions. In fact, we planned to meet but it never happened. For a few years I regularly contributed to Keghart.com but ceased to present articles for their consideration now that I have my own blog.

I found Dikran’s last article titled “Turbejian Twins Threaten While Armenia Dithers” disturbing. Let me say that whenever I hear Turkbeijan, I am reminded of another principal of Keghart.com, Jirair Tutunjian. I can state with confidence that it was Jirair who coined that fitting term Turkbeijan. 

Even before starting to read the text of Dikran’s article, the reader encounters a quote from Ilham Aliyev posted in bold letters on top of the body of the text of the article. After having the attention of the readers drawn to Ilham Aliyev’s quote, Dikran makes a number of bold statements that the reader obviously is meant to entertain in the context of what Ilham Aliyev has said. See below.

Yes, on January 19, 2024, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Armenia needs a new constitution: "We want to have a constitution that makes the Republic of Armenia more viable in the new geopolitical and regional conditions," said the prime minister. The PM’s call for new constitution understandably aims to annul or rather amend the Declaration of Independence of Armenia as ratified on August 23, 1990 and have any statement in regard to the unification with Artsakh or any territorial claim from its neighbors, removed and made clear that Armenia does not have territorial claims from its neighbors.

Of course, this has come about from Azerbaijan and Turkey. But I do not entertain their pressure as I raise the following fundamental issue. Does Armenia have any territorial claim from its neighbors? If not, why does Armenia retain the reunification with Nakorno Karabagh on the preamble of the Declaration of Independence? After all, the Declaration of Independence charts the course of the Armenian state.

Let us face it. Our historical knowledge about free, independent, democratic sovereign state is from May 28, 1918 to November 29, 2020, a mere 2.51 years. Our, I mean those of us who were of age when Armenian regained its independence on September 21, 1991, that spans to this day, and is 32.75 years. I challenge Dikran - other than the school textbook issue of which I have read nothing as to how it was and how it is changed - if Armenia’s claim of historical Armenia  and for reparation, restitution of genocide has been any different during those sum total of 2.51+32.75 = 35. 26 years. I challenge him to cite an Armenian leader such as Aram Manougian, Avedis Aharonian, or Levon Ter Petrosay, Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan  whose stand has been any different than at the present under Nikol Pashinyan. 

All these Armenian denizens prudently have not laid territorial claim, nor claims for restitution from Turkey for the Genocide. Well, I have to make an exception to the short lived tenure of Armenia’s first FM Raffi Hovannisian. As to Nagorno Karabagh Oblast, other than Nikol Pashinyan’s 'Artsakh is Armenia' uncalled for utterance, the presidents did not recognize Artsakh as a state nor annexed it to Armenia.  

Keghart.com has been on the forefront, well ahead of the rest of the Diaspora Armenian press as an open forum.  A hearty discussion and sharp exchanges ensued on its pages at the March 1 killing when the rest of the Armenian journals were almost silent. It was also Keghart.com that led the drive to alert the authorities in Armenia not to mistreat a young journalist they have imprisoned, Nikol Pashinyan. The rest of the Diaspora press was silent. That is how I came to learn the name.

One more thing. I do not Dikran expected to hear Ilham Aliyev say that the border demarcation and delimitation is proceeding according to the boarders agreed at Alma-Ata. Armenia and Azerbaijan are demarcating and delimitating accordingly. I doubt that Dikran is naïve enough to expect to hear such an announcement from Aliev.

In fact, there would have been much concern, instead of what Aliyev said on May 10, he would have said that Armenia is getting the upper hand at the negotiations at Azerbaijan's expense. 

I am sure Aliyev  is toying with Armenia and the Armenians. His only concerns are to placate his constituents. The legitimacy of his regime is based on his hegemony over Armenia and Armenians. His statements are not sources to be quoted in Armenian press as a source of information.

I am left with the impression that Dikran Abrahamian seems to have joined the ranks of Harout Sassounian. Say Nikol Pashinyan, rekindle the opposition against him and against anything he utters or advocates, period, no discussions.

 

A kind of domestic violence

 “On April 12, Armenia’s National Assembly made history by approving a comprehensive set of amendments to the law on Prevention of Domestic Violence, Protection of Persons”, wrote Ani Jilozian in the Armenian Weekly. It is known that stress, and the response to stressful situations, are factors that trigger domestic violence.

Well, Armenia as a whole is undergoing a kind of domestic violence such as the verbal abuse the Prime Minister’s wife Anna Hagobyan was subjected to at the eternal flame for the commemoration of the Armenian genocide. 

The reason of Armenia’s domestic violence is political. Regretfully, instead of helping rationalize the factors, both secular and the religious leaders, especially the leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church, whose eminence in the life of country is enshrined in Armenia’s constitution, are failing by their inaction, which may be by commission and as well as by omission.

Let me state some of the factors that are being made to inflame  the Armenian public further, instead of helping it to overcome the stresses.

“Historical Armenia vs Real Armenia”.

 Of course, I am referring to the verbiage the PM resorted to convey what the presidents of Armenia resorted to since Armenia regained its independence on September 21, 1991. Levon Ter Petrosyan, first as the president of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia, and subsequentl as the first nationally elected president of Armenia, followed by presidents Robert Kochariyan, and Serzh Sargsyan repeatedly stated that Armenia has no territorial claim from Turkey. We know as well as they knew, that the territory that constitutes Turkey is partly historical Armenia. But the presidents factored it not to be in the best interest of Armenia, which is the "real Armenia", thus chose to ignore it. Surely not to forget it. Chosing to forget is an impossibility. The issue is how to address a memmory.  The presidents, who presently lead the opposition,  did what they had to do and is expected to know better than to stir emotions but to temper emotions.

“No pre-condition”. 

Much like under the governance of Civil Contract party led by the PM, Nikol Pashinyan, the presidents and their parties that governed Armenia during the previous three decades made “no pre-condition” their policy to normalize Armenia’s relations with Turkey, which meant for the Turks not to ask about Armenian genocide related questions when Armenia politically does not have a genocide issue to tell, in a sort "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that will continue be Armenia's as it was.

“List of victims of the Armenian Genocide”.

On September 27, 2024, Andranik Kocharyan, a high placed Civil Contract coalition official anda member of the National Assembly created controversy with his comment regarding the creation of a list of the Armenian genocide victims, which, he calimed can be more of less than 1.5 millions.

My namesake friend Vahe B. let me know that surely Mr. Kocharian knows that legal genocide entails the intent of the perpetrator to commit the genocide, and the numbers by themselves do not constitute genocide. The MP most likely wanted to send a signal to Turkey that Armenia may be willing to join what was envisioned in the Zurich protocols, a Joint Historical Commission. Interestingly, the FM of Turkey expressed its reservation to the PM Nikol Pashinyan's genocide address and called on “all parties to support our proposal to create a Joint Historical Commission, as well as the ongoing settlement process with Armenia.”

Readers may recall the  Zurich Protocols, which entailed  bilateral protocols president Serzh Sargyan's FM Edward Nalbandian signed in 2009 with his Turk counterpart. The Protocols envisioned  the establishment of formal diplomatic relations and the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border (which has been closed since 1993), and the establishment of a joint historical commission on the Armenian genocide issue. The protocols did not take a life of their own as they were not ratified. The Turkish parliament did not ratify it.

When it comes to state bilateral relations with Turkey Armenia will do what it has to do to assure that Armenia stays a viable state where the citizens of Armenia and their children can have a peaceful and a prosperous life.

The same considerations drove the first republic of Armenia interior minister Aram Manoukian and Catholicos Kevork V to host the Turkish visiting dignitaries, while Avedis Aharonian visited Istanbul seeking improved relations between the two countries.  The two republics established a state level formal relations.

It behooves the leadership of Armenia, especially the opposition leaders and the Armenian Apostolic Church,  to deal wisely with the  political stresses and help educate especially the young and the impressionable to learn deal with political stress.

Keurkune's Historic Church: as a Stage -4

Vahe H. Apelian

 

In Armenian Characters, reading Turkish, "My house shall be called a house of prayer” Math: 21:13; Keurkune’’; Armenian Evangelical Church; January 8.98 foundation; July 21.99 completion.”  Courtesy George Azad Apelian

Keurkune’s church has served also as a stage where plays were acted. These plays were not acted for entertainment only but were for fund raising to renovate and repair the church. During its almost 125 years of existence the church has had major repairs, the last of which was in the aftermath of the March 21, 2014 sack of Kessab and torching of most of the churches including the sanctuary and the pastoral residence of the Keurkune’s church.

The first play for such an fund raising event seems to have been spearheaded by Ardashes kerbabian, who not long after, would be ordained as a minister and brought a lifelong service to the Armenian Evangelical community having  served the Armenian Evangelical church in Keurkune, Kessab, in Beirut, in Worcester, MA and in Cambridge, Canada where he passed away. The picture of the group that acted the play under Rev. Ardashes Kerbabian reached us courtesy of his cousin Raffi Kerbabian. The name of the play was “Genevieve”. We do not have pictures of the play on the stage but we have the picture of the actors and supporting staff pictured on the famous rock at Keurkune’s spring. The picture is attached below.

*****

The second picture of the play staged in Keurkune’s church reached us courtesy Dr. Hagop Tcholakian, the eminent scholar. He had unearthed the picture in Armenia and credited Antranig Kalpedian (Անդր. Գայբըտեան). The play was acted in 1947 and was a reenactment of the biblical Prodigal Son. My mother and my maternal uncle are among the players pictured on the doorsteps of the Keurkune’s church.

*****

The third and last play was staged under the direction of the late Kevork George Apelian. The title of the play was “The Valley of Tears” by Avedis Aharonian. It was staged in the church on September 10, 1965 commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the Armenian genocide and for fund raising.  

 More pictures can be seen in Facebook’s “Keurkune and Keurkunetisis to know and to preserve” site initiated and ably managed by Garo Konyalian. The posting of the pictures in the blog may help us identify all those who took part in these plays. 

A scene from the play "The Valley of Tears"

 

 

  

How I stood in these trying times?

Attached are my postings on my Facebook page pertaining to prime minister Nikol Pachinyan’s visit to Turkey to attend the inauguration of the newly elected president of Turkey, Erdogan. The PM’s visit was not a historic visit although in the age of social media it was earth shattering for the Armenian world. Was the visit a diplomatic necessity for the Republic of Armenia or was it not a diplomatic necessity and consequently a failure? That will be for the future historians to debate. Attached is how I stood. Vahe H. Apelian

Courtesy Garo Konyalian

June 3, 2023 

GODSPEED: I wish the prime minister of Armenia Godspeed as he embarks on his journey to Turkey.

***** 

June 4, 2023

MAY GOD HELP: God help the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pachinyan and give me him fortitude, courage in pain and in adversity, as he deals with powerful, arrogant, SOBs. Asdouatz hedt varchabed - Աստուած հետդ վարչապետ։

*****

June 5, 2023

WAS IT A DIPLOMATIC FAILURE? The PM’s visit was not a historic visit although in the age of social media it was earth shattering for the Armenian world.  

Was PM Pachinyans's visit a diplomatic necessity for the Republic of Armenia or was it not a diplomatic necessity? That will be for the historians to comment or debate. Nikol Pachinyan’s diplomatic venture lasted two days. The First Republic's diplomatic venture led by Avedis Aharonian, lasted six weeks, from June 13 to August 31, 1918. IF the PM Nikol Pachinyan’s visit led to one less border skirmish and one less Armenian soldier being killed, it was a diplomatic success in my book, although it’s an IF. 

But there is more that is going on here, much more than the PM’s diplomatic visit. IT also has nothing to do with the diplomatic visit for IT will be going on with the same pace or vigor, even if the PM had not paid a diplomatic visit. 

We are being tested as never before at least since 1915. We are in a process of change. I quote Anatole France: " All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of our-selves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another!" We are dying for one life to enter another and that life will be as good and as bad as we make it. We have to be cognizant of the necessity to confront and adapt to the inevitable change.

It may not have happened, but it profoundly rings true that when "When Winston Churchill was asked to cut arts funding in favor of the war effort, he simply replied, ‘then what are we fighting for?" It the end the Armenians are also fighting to safeguard their lives, honor, possession and culture. “Peace in the region” is a policy and like any other policy it will regretfully but likely excise lives, property loss.

There is no policy for us that does not have a cost to bear. 

Whatever is the cost of “peace in the region” Armenia’s policy, it cannot take our culture and dignity away if we do not give them away. Patronizing or sermon like, this may sound. but it remains true in my book that no one can take away your culture and dignity if you do not give them away.

 *****

 

June 6, 2023

WAR STRATEGY: “What king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.”—Luke 14:31-32. Thank you Hagop Toroyan Hagop Toroyan for alluding to this biblical passage. 

This time around the king of 3 million confronting the King of 80 million. In plain English “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace."

 *****

June 6, 2023

THEY FAILED US - In no uncertain terms the two heads of the Armenian Apostolic Church failed the Armenian people they are called upon to pastor during this existential period of the Armenian history. I was expecting that the two religious heads of the Apostolic church, would pray for the safety and security of the PM and ask God to grant him fortitude as he confronts the enemy on behalf of the people. In my view, in this historic junction, they miserably failed both as religious leaders and, in their quest, to also act as civic, if not political leaders in charge marshalling the destiny of their flock, the Armenian nation.

*****

June 6, 2023

THAT IS AN ECHO NOT AN ACT – Echo is defined as “a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener.” A person's or an organization's, be it civic or religious, claim for the self determination of the Armenians of Artsakh is not an act on behalf of  or for the people of Artsakh. It is simply a sentimental echo.

  

How I stood in these trying times?

 N THESE TRYING TIMES: Attached are my postings on my Facebook page pertaining to prime minister Nikol Pachinyan’s visit to Turkey to attend the inauguration of the newly elected president of Turkey, Erdogan. The PM’s visit was not a historic visit although in the age of social media it was earth shattering for the Armenian world. Was the visit a diplomatic necessity for the Republic of Armenia or was it not a diplomatic necessity and consequently a failure? That will be for the future historians to debate. Attached is how I stood. Vahe H. Apelian

Courtesy Garo Konyalian

June 3, 2023 

GODSPEED: I wish the prime minister of Armenia Godspeed as he embarks on his journey to Turkey.

***** 

June 4, 2023

MAY GOD HELP: God help the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pachinyan and give me him fortitude, courage in pain and in adversity, as he deals with powerful, arrogant, SOBs. Asdouatz hedt varchabed - Աստուած հետդ վարչապետ։

*****

June 5, 2023

WAS IT A DIPLOMATIC FAILURE? The PM’s visit was not a historic visit although in the age of social media it was earth shattering for the Armenian world.  

Was PM Pachinyans's visit a diplomatic necessity for the Republic of Armenia or was it not a diplomatic necessity? That will be for the historians to comment or debate. Nikol Pachinyan’s diplomatic venture lasted two days. The First Republic's diplomatic venture led by Avedis Aharonian, lasted six weeks, from June 13 to August 31, 1918. IF the PM Nikol Pachinyan’s visit led to one less border skirmish and one less Armenian soldier being killed, it was a diplomatic success in my book, although it’s an IF. 

But there is more that is going on here, much more than the PM’s diplomatic visit. IT also has nothing to do with the diplomatic visit for IT will be going on with the same pace or vigor, even if the PM had not paid a diplomatic visit. 

We are being tested as never before at least since 1915. We are in a process of change. I quote Anatole France: " All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of our-selves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another!" We are dying for one life to enter another and that life will be as good and as bad as we make it. We have to be cognizant of the necessity to confront and adapt to the inevitable change.

It may not have happened, but it profoundly rings true that when "When Winston Churchill was asked to cut arts funding in favor of the war effort, he simply replied, ‘then what are we fighting for?" It the end the Armenians are also fighting to safeguard their lives, honor, possession and culture. “Peace in the region” is a policy and like any other policy it will regretfully but likely excise lives, property loss.

There is no policy for us that does not have a cost to bear. 

Whatever is the cost of “peace in the region” Armenia’s policy, it cannot take our culture and dignity away if we do not give them away. Patronizing or sermon like, this may sound. but it remains true in my book that no one can take away your culture and dignity if you do not give them away.

 *****

 

June 6, 2023

WAR STRATEGY: “What king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.”—Luke 14:31-32. Thank you Hagop Toroyan Hagop Toroyan for alluding to this biblical passage. 

This time around the king of 3 million confronting the King of 80 million. In plain English “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace."

 *****

June 6, 2023

THEY FAILED US - In no uncertain terms the two heads of the Armenian Apostolic Church failed the Armenian people they are called upon to pastor during this existential period of the Armenian history. I was expecting that the two religious heads of the Apostolic church, would pray for the safety and security of the PM and ask God to grant him fortitude as he confronts the enemy on behalf of the people. In my view, in this historic junction, they miserably failed both as religious leaders and, in their quest, to also act as civic, if not political leaders in charge marshalling the destiny of their flock, the Armenian nation.

*****

June 6, 2023

THAT IS AN ECHO NOT AN ACT – Echo is defined as “a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener.” A person's or an organization's, be it civic or religious, claim for the self determination of the Armenians of Artsakh is not an act on behalf of the people of Artsakh. It is simply a sentimental echo.

There still are people who look for saints in the Bible

 “They Were, (and) are no more” (Կային, Չկան) is the title of the last chapter of Antranig Zarougian’s “The Greats and the Others” (Մեծերը եւ Միւսները) book where he casts a glimpse of the way Diaspora writers related to each other, as poets, novelists, journalists, and editors and in doing so propelled the post genocide Western Armenian literature to new heights that subsided with their passing away. The attached is my abridged translated segment from that chapter. Vahe H. Apelian

Aramazd

“After Paris I went to Marseille just and only just to visit Avedis Aharonian¹, whom Zabel Yessaian had likened to the Armenian pagan mythical god Aramazd².  He was bedridden for over a decade, due to a stroke, lying in bed immobile and unspeaking. All those who had heard him speak, vouched that he was regarded the most eloquent orator. But the wizard of the words could no more utter a single sentence. It was a gross tragedy.

It was a bright and a sunny day, in an upscale neighborhood, Hagop Babigian and I were heading to visit him. A considerate Armenian family, a husband and a wife, had vacated the upper floor of their beautiful villa and made room for the care of Aharonian, as they moved downstairs.

Right after receiving us, Mrs. Aharonian advised us not to enter his room to see him. Had I been by myself I would have most likely heeded to her advice and not entered his room. But Hagop Babigian was with me as his guardian. He insisted visiting him and thus we entered in.

A big bald head was resting over a white pillow, and on it two sparkling eyes, that is all to it, much like a dry clay jar the middle of which were two shiny lights. Mrs. Aharonian approached him shouting loud to his ear said:

- “Dear Avo, he is one of our ungers (comrades) from Syria, the poet….”

Suddenly the lights extinguished from his eyes, and I heard a voice as if coming from a deep grave:

 - “No, no, no…..”

Three times “no”. It is the only word he can utter and that one word is the whole lexicon for someone who was the king of the spoken words, the mythical god Aramazd of the Armenian literature. Do you have pain? No! Do you need anything? No!, and nothing else. A ravished body, but a sharp mind, and a single word, “no”, that is all to it. My God, I thought, what a miserable luck had been in store for him,  what a disaster!

- “Did I not tell you not to enter?” Gently reprimanded me Mrs. Aharonian at the same time caringly caressing my shoulder. 

I almost fled the scene feeling guilty. The whole visit had hardly lasted ten minutes. I was in a shock. Babigian who was more familiar with the situation was not affected. When we were in the street, he said:

- “ I think you need a strong drink to get you out of this state.” We entered a pub.

No less memorable was Avedis Aharonian’s wife. She was tall, graceful much like a palm tree, but emaciated and worn out, but beautiful in spite of her septuagenarian age. She was the sister of Mikayel Varandian³. In her youth, there wasn’t a young man who did not pursue her, like bees buzzing around her. Among them were two Avos – Avedis Aharonian and Avedik Isahagian³. Hagop Babigian, who had been close to Mikael Varantian, remembered her brother telling him that it’s only one of the two who could hold the rein of our  stallion.

The “Black Stallion” of the past had been transformed into a care giver for the past fifteen years. Not a single day had she left her critically wounded Aramazd. Every day, twice a day, she would change his body posture in the bed with the help of a care giver or on her own, and take care of him, change the linens, wash them and then wait on him. She had been doing this daily for the past fifteen years. There still are people who look for saints in the Bible.

They were, are no more.

 

Notes:

1.   Avetis Aharonian (Աւետիս ԱհարոնեանՕ, January 9, 1866, Iğdır, Turkey - March 20, 1948, Paris, France. He was an Armenian politician, writer, public figure and revolutionary, also part of the Armenian national movement. In 1919, he was the head the Armenian delegation at the Paris Peace Conference with Boghos Nubar, where he signed the Treaty of Sèvres formulating the "Wilsonian Armenia" in direct collaboration with the Armenian Diaspora. (Wikipedia)

2.   Aramazd was the chief and creator god in pre-Christian Armenian mythology. The deity and his name were derived from the Zoroastrian deity Ahura Mazda after the Median conquest of Armenia in the 6th century BCE. (Wikipedia)

3.   Mikayel Varandian (Միքայել Վարանդյան). 1870 Shushi – April 27, 1934, Marseille, France. He was an Armenian historian and the main theoretician of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. Varandian was born Mikayel Hovhannisian in the village of Kyatuk in the Varanda canton of the region of Karabakh. He took the penname Varandian in honor of his home province. (Wikipedia)

4.   Avetik Isahakyan (Armenian: Ավետիք Իսահակյան; October 30, 1875 – Gyumri, Armenia - October 17, 1957, Yerevan, Armenia. He was a prominent Armenian lyric poet, writer and public activist.