113th Anniversary of Charents

Aysor, Armenia
March 13 2010

113th Anniversary of Charents

Today is Yeghishe Charents’ birthday. 113 years ago this day in
Armenian city Kars in the family of Abgar Soghomonyan-Margaryants was
born the future poet Yeghishe Soghomonyan.

His father, Abgar Soghomonyan and his mother Tekghe Mirzayan were
originally for Maku, that’s why very often he said he was from Maku
too; `My fatherland is Khan Maku’, `A poet born in Maku city’. His
father was trading carpets. Besides Yeghish there were also 6 kids,
Ashkhen, Mariam, Anna, Gegham, Serob, Soghomon.

Once Charents has told Gurgen Mahari how a doctor with the surname
Charents had arrived in Kars. On the stand of the doctor was written
`Charents’ and he has taken that surname as a pseudonym. His youth
friends give another explanation. According to Karine Kotanchyan the
poet got that name because since childhood he has been a very naughty
(in Armenian `char’) child. They have called him `char’ for a log time
and thus he has received that name since his childhood.

Whatever is the definition of Charents’ name, regardless everything,
he is created of the unforgettable pages of the Armenian Literature.
Living with a difficult life he gave birth to lasting pages of the
literature.

On this day traditionally there are being organized events on
Charents’ birthday. They are usually being held next the memorial of
Charents, in his house-museum and in the Union of the Armenian
Writers.