Biography of Haji Alkhas. Rich multicolored mountains

Under the sail of the snowy slope
Bab al-kist-Ridja
flickering among the reefs ...
Gadzhi Alkhasov

How many new, bizarre names our ears hear, how many beautiful places our eyes find! And everywhere people live with their own national characteristics, with their own characters and destinies. How you want to visit every region, get to know its inhabitants!.. But for many, this dream remains unrealizable.

Kuma, Furu-su, Fuma, Sudaig, CHIulukhum…
I don’t know where these toponyms came from in Richa, but now I want to know everything about my small homeland. The names of this land are one of the most ancient signs. And each open secret of the name is like news of ancient ancestors, a fragment of lost cultures, their perception of the beauty of the region. We seem to have converged here - at one point only in different millennia and centuries.

It is no coincidence that the names of valleys, mountains and rivers most of all imprinted ancient ideas about the world. They often remained the only and unique monument of the spiritual culture of our distant ancestors, who, like us, considered Rich to be their homeland.
I noticed that I was not the only one who was drawn to my native places today. I even thought that there is some sign of the times in this, fraught with an important and still obscure meaning for us.

Unfortunately, every year we become more and more divided. Thin threads of connections with the death of the elders sometimes break with the ends. Often we don’t know anything about the sad events in individual families or we find out late, and when we meet, you experience discounted feelings of guilt that you couldn’t put your shoulder under the grief of a fellow countryman. Is not it?

In recent years much has been written and spoken about the origins; the return to the roots, to the father's doorstep, began to concern many people of all ages. So it's not about age, it's about something else. Why is it that we, who are accustomed to go forward and forward without stopping, feel the need to look around, look back, comprehend the past? Why? Why did it become interesting for us to find out who they are, these people of Richin, where they came from, when they occupied these mountain heights, what made them climb into this gloomy realm of the mountain spirit, where, it seems, only turs and eagles can live? Is it easy to answer these questions?

Of course, not everyone begins to comprehend so directly, another falls, so to speak, to the threshold from a simple desire to quench his thirst, a need that has arisen in him. For a long time already I wanted to go to my homeland, to see what and how - in the years of youth it was all different - to look at people, at my home, aul, express condolences, visit the graves of relatives and friends, villagers ...

Rich! My Richa is a very famous, ancient high-mountain village in Dagestan... Every time I visit Richa, I am seized by some kind of quivering excitement, as if a captivating melody suddenly starts playing in the innermost corner of my soul, from an unknown depth. Here I spent my early years, where with my childish bare feet I knocked down sparkling dew from the cold grasses. Here we, teenagers, went after flocks, dreamed, loved, stuffed the first bumps and bruises. Here everything breathes and lives with memories of childhood.

Whoever was lucky enough to visit Richa - the edge of pristine nature - will never forget the amazing pictures, the indescribable range of colors that nature has endowed this piece of land with. Everything here is striking in its contrasts. The unique play of light and the colors of the mountains, those who have ever admired the multi-colored mountains of Rich will certainly want to see them again; the elusive radiance of the sky, brilliance, charm, beauty ....

There is nothing ugly in the mountains. Deafening silence and crystal clear mountain air. Sometimes you want to stop for a second, just freeze for a moment and not think about anything, just contemplate the incredible beauty of nature. And ... to create, write, draw, photograph!

The shapes of the ridges and peaks are diverse and whimsical, from geometrically strict to crumpled, randomly indented. In their contours, you will notice the silhouettes of unprecedented animals and the sculptural modeling of human figures and outlines of faces. And as soon as the sun moves towards the horizon, the shadows fall differently and everything disappears ... and new images appear, just as impressive and bright. And somewhere high, high, almost at the level of the snowy peaks, majestically float in the air currents, without moving their wings, eagles, vigilantly looking out for prey. Around fat herds of sheep, endless alpine and subalpine pastures, murmuring rivers with royal trout. Thousands of shapes, colors and smells merge into one indescribable picture, and there is not a single superfluous stroke in it, and in this powerful and continuous life of nature, in this endless movement, there is a place for man. It seems that here a person is so close to his origins that the life-giving power of earth, water, air, ancient stones and meadow grasses flows into him.

Not only the nature of Rich is unusual, but also the people living on this wonderful land, as well as the traditions that have been building their traditions for centuries. Richa is a mysterious and enigmatic aul. It seems to be in full view, but it is not so easy to know its mysteries and secrets. He does not call anyone to him, but everyone comes to him, he does not need anyone, but is necessary for many, finally, he does not give anything himself, but invites you to take as much as you can carry. For some, it will be an unknown and strange world, completely different from the one they are used to, but at the same time very attractive, enchanting, exciting the imagination, for some - golden placers of wisdom ....

The ancient village of Richa, Agul district, is a kind of open-air museum. Having been here, you will look deep into the history of the region, enjoy its nature. You will get a great opportunity to get to know its inhabitants better, see how they live, work, have fun, listen to songs - old and modern, admire the fiery dances, talk with wise aksakals.

Here, you will experience vivid impressions, discoveries, pleasant surprises that will be remembered for a lifetime: the ruins of the once formidable fortress, the ancient Juma mosque with unique wooden columns, decorated with amazing ornamental carvings - the main historical monument of Richa, the majestic minaret, looking up, distinguished by the grace of decorative finishes - the architectural dominant of the village, epigraphic inscriptions of the Middle Ages, in a word, everything that keeps the memory of the past centuries.

Richa has always attracted the attention of well-known representatives of science, culture and art, religious and military figures. During the Caucasian War, Grigory Gagarin (1810-1893) worked here - an artist "not by rank, but by vocation", as the Russian publicist and critic V.G. Belinsky called him. Among his many works there is also a view of Rich with its pointed minaret, which is included in the album “Picturesque Caucasus”, published in Paris with subtexts in French.

At one time, the famous Orientalist scholar Nikolai Khanykov (1822-1878), lieutenant general, expert in ethnography and archeology, epigraphy and numismatics Ivan Bartolomey (1813-1870), Dagestan Arabist scholars Ali Kayaev (1878-1943), Bahadur Malachikhanov (1882-1937) and Magomed-Ghalib Sadyki (1918-2000), Caucasian scholars Leonid Lavrov (1909-1982), Boris Kaloev (1920-2005), Amri Shikhsaidov (born 1928) and many others.

Here, in 1996, the Russian film director Sergei Bodrov (senior) shot his cult feature film "Prisoner of the Caucasus" - the owner of several prestigious film awards, with an excellent acting duet Oleg Menshikov, who starred in the unusual role of a rustic ensign and Sergei Bodrov (junior), in the role ordinary, which gained popularity with a new generation of viewers.

Such a keen interest of researchers in the village of Richa is due to the fact that here, in a relatively limited area, there are numerous monuments of material and spiritual culture, reflecting the successive stages of the cultural and historical development of the Agul people from ancient times to the Middle Ages.

My native village of Richa walked through the centuries through difficult roads. Like a magnet, the land of the conquerors attracted him. The people of Richin had to defend their independence in the fight against the Khazars and Arabs, the hordes of Genghis Khan and Timur, Persian and Turkish conquerors. The village was on fire, people were dying. Dozens and hundreds were driven away to a foreign land; places of worship were defiled, crops were destroyed, forests were cut down. But every time the village was reborn like a phoenix from the ashes.

An analysis of the historical reports of local and foreign written sources, epigraphic and historical and folklore materials synchronous to them suggest that the village of Rich on the eve of the invasion of the Mongol troops was one of the significant Islamic centers in South Dagestan. In this regard, an epigraphic inscription is of interest, in which the village of Richa is called “Bab al-kist Ridja” (“Gate of Justice of Richa”). There is no doubt that this honorary title was assigned to the village during the Gazi campaigns, as a result of which this settlement became one of the outposts of Islam. The echoes of these events are reflected in the well-known historical chronicle "The History of Abu Muslim"...

The defense of Rich is one of the brightest pages of resistance to the Mongol conquerors, their liberation struggle. This is undoubtedly evidenced by epigraphic monuments from this village. For the first time, these Kufic inscriptions of the 13th century were discovered in 1848 by the talented orientalist N.V. Khanykov and copied by him, the discovery was announced on February 22, 1850 at a meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences and published.

It is noteworthy that, being dissatisfied with the copy of this inscription, which he made in the rain, N.V. Khanykov asked General I.A. Bartholomew, who was leaving for Dagestan on official business, to try to get a new copy of this inscription, who, in turn, responded to his request. In 1850, accompanying the commander of the Caucasian army M.S. Vorontsov, he ended up in the village of Kurakh and for some time, “separated from the retinue of the commander-in-chief, made a little more than 24 hours 130 miles on horseback and took out the inscription that interests us both from this archaeological race.” It turned out that the original reading contained some errors, which were immediately reported when a new copy of the inscription and its translation was published.

However, they did not pay attention to two other inscriptions in the village of Richa, later discovered and photographed in 1953 by B.A. Kaloev. In 1958 they were translated and published by the famous orientalists L.I. Lavrov and A.R. Shikhsaidov, and are also the most important sources on the history of the Mongol invasion of the Caucasus.

The inscription discovered by N.V. Khanykov, testifies: “Truly, the troops of the accursed Tatars - may Allah deprive them of their support - came to Bab al-kist Ridja (“at the gates of justice to Rich”), when there were ten days left until the end of the month of Rabi" al-awwal. And they fought with them the inhabitants of Rich until the middle (month) of Rabi" al-akhir in the year 637. Then he ordered Sabaj ibn Suleiman to build this fortress in the month of Dhu-l-Hijja, (one) of the months of the six hundred and thirty-eighth year].

Thus, the inhabitants of the village of Richa, for about 27 days, namely from October 20 to November 15, 1239, fought against the Mongol conquerors. Obviously, by this time the fighting tradition of the Richin people had already been formed: to consider each peasant as a warrior who was in the reserve, who quickly became in line; for the usual thing - a war with a numerically superior enemy, in which they sought to balance the inequality of forces with the skillful use of mountainous terrain, reinforced by fortification that existed even under the Sassanids.

According to the oral tradition of the people, by the time the Mongols arrived, Richa was a large settlement, where there were more than 700 households and a powerful fortress located on the dominant height of Hyukhval. At a distance of 1.5 kilometers from this fortress towards the village. Tpig, where a narrow gorge is formed, there were "gates" of Rich. Here, on both sides of the Chirakh-chai River, there were two powerful watchtowers connected by chains. The towers had a connection with the main fortress in the village. The ArkhatIagar area, where the gates to the aul were located and the watchtowers were located, is so narrow that a small, well-armed group was able to repel the onslaught of a solid detachment of troops.

The inaccessibility and defensive nature of the village of Richa was noted by many travelers and military men of the 18th-19th centuries. The map of Dagestan, compiled by Russian topographers in 1819-1820, shows a schematic plan of the village of Richa. It is located on the slope of a mountain surrounded on three sides by mountain rivers. On the fourth side (from the west), above the village, on the mountain, there is a defensive tower. Along the crest of the mountain, covering the access to the village from the north, there is a fortress wall.

Traditions say that: “The Mongols bribed two guards from local residents, who opened the gates to the village. The conquerors surrounded the village so that no one would leave. But the remnants of the Richins managed to climb the hard-to-reach mountain KhIazhyzhayar, and fortify themselves there. In the village there were old people and children who did not have time to get out. The Mongols gathered them in the area Giubratt and trampled them down with cavalry. The bodies of the dead were thrown into a large pit, which was dug near the village. Then they collected stocks of feed, crops and burned them. A handful of defenders hiding in the mosque were exterminated, the mosque, and the whole village was destroyed.

The defenders of the village inflicted enormous damage on the Mongols, thwarted their plan for a lightning-fast advance deep into Dagestan. The furious was the anger of the Mongols against the people of Richin, and the more unbearable were the innumerable disasters that the newcomers brought down on the unruly land.

The second epigraphic inscription tells about the post-war events of this period: “This cathedral mosque Bab al-kist Ridzhi was destroyed by the Tatar army [at the time] when it destroyed [and] Kurd-Ridzha in the month of Rabi” al-akhir [one] of the six hundred and thirty months year 7. Then, indeed, the glorious emir, great, supportive, victorious, fighter for a just cause, standing guard, the crown of peace and religion, Adam b. Abd al - Malik b. Muhammad - may Allah Almighty [his reign] prolong! - He ordered the construction of this mosque in the month of Rabi "al-awwal, [one] of the months of the year six hundred and forty-eight. May Allah bless Muhammad and all his family and may Allah have mercy on the one who prays for mercy on him after his death.

Obviously, Richa was strong enough to quickly get out of the rout inflicted there by the Mongols. It is noteworthy that in the inscriptions the elite was distinguished, the members of which are referred to in them by feudal titles, although the hereditary succession of power cannot be traced.
The title of the ruler of the “region” Rich is “an unusual phenomenon, the only one in the Dagestan Arabic epigraphy,” notes A.R. Shikhsaidov. Indeed, the titulary of the Emir of Richa repeats the similar titulary of the Shirvanshahs at the beginning of the 13th century.

Availability in Rich's category of emirs gives the right to assume the existence of other social groups in feudal society. This assumption is confirmed by another inscription, indicating that the Richin mosque was built by a noble family: Basaj and his wife. Here, apparently, we are talking about the fact that this noble family did not build the mosque itself, but financed its construction. The presence in Richa of a social stratum of noble people who are able to finance the construction of public buildings, to some extent sheds light on the social structure of Richa society. This allows us to assume the presence on the territory of Rich of a small early feudal political entity with an "emir" at the head.

Another well-known Dagestan historian Rasul Magomedov, in support of the above, notes that: “relatively recently, a fact has become known that, in my opinion, is of fundamental importance for elucidating the past of this people. Several epitaphs were found near Rich, although they were poorly preserved. From them it is clear that several generations of Agul rulers were buried here, who bore the dynastic title of mihtari (the word of Iranian origin is “great”). Later, the dynasty was subjugated by the Iranians, became a vassal of the Safavids, and its last representative died during the Persian wars in Georgia in 1615 ... "

However, the invasion of the Mongols in 1239 did not lead to the obedience of the population of Agul. The Italian ambassador and traveler Giovanni da Plano Carpini in his "History of the Mongols" gives a detailed list of countries and peoples subject to their power. In this list, the highlanders of Dagestan, including the Aguls, are not among the peoples conquered by the Mongols.

After the departure of the Mongols, the inhabitants of the devastated village returned to their ashes, restored the destroyed buildings, erected defensive structures and prepared for resistance in the event that the enemy invaded their borders again, as evidenced by another incised inscription in the wall of the minaret: “... This is what that Sabaj ibn Suleiman ordered the construction of this fortress in the month of zi-l-hijja, (one) of the months of the year six hundred and thirty-eight "

It should be noted that the Dagestan historiography does not quite correctly cover the question of the length of stay of the Mongol troops in Agul during their second campaign in 1239.

Many researchers baselessly claim that after the capture and ruin of Rich, the Mongol troops remained in Agul for half a year, and then, allegedly, in early spring, they invaded the lands of the Laks and stormed Kumukh.
Obviously, the reasons for such conclusions are due to the lack of reliable sources indicating the route of the Mongols during the invasion of Kumukh. At the same time, the researchers also do not take into account the specific features of the campaigns of the Mongols, as nomads.

Written sources report that the Mongols, as is typical for nomads, carried out their military actions with their families, property, livestock, etc., and at the same time they always returned for wintering to flat lands, where they had pastures and camps. The Armenian historian Gandzaketsi reports: “And so they came with all their property and many troops, reached the country of Agvank and the fruitful and fertile valley called Mugan, and pitched their tents. So they did in the winter days, and in the springtime they dispersed to different countries, raided and devastated, and again returned there, to their camp. This is confirmed by the news of other contemporaries of the Mongol invasions.

The stubborn resistance of the Richin people delayed the further advance of the Mongol troops into inner Dagestan until late autumn and the onset of cold weather. Obviously, to stay in Richa for the winter, contrary to the established regime, where the entire infrastructure was destroyed, stocks of feed, fodder and food, so necessary for the cavalry army, were destroyed, meant dooming oneself to death. Moreover, if we assume that the Mongols remained in Agul, then they would not have dared to enter the Lak lands in early spring through the hard-to-reach Kokmadag pass, which was freed from snow cover and avalanches only at the end of April - beginning of May. Considering that in this case the Mongols would have to make forced stops, mainly related to the resistance of the inhabitants of the villages encountered on the way, they would need to set out on a campaign even earlier, which is almost impossible.

Thus, it can be argued that after the destruction of s. Rich, the Mongols returned for wintering to the Caspian plain, and most likely they used other, more accessible crossings to invade Kumukh.

Questions about the destruction and burning of the cathedral mosque in Richa have not quite correct coverage in history. Some researchers believe that the mosque was deliberately destroyed and then burned by the conquerors.

However, it is known that each successor of Genghis Khan, upon accession to the throne, took an oath to follow the charter - Yasa ("Book of Prohibitions"), which, among other things, strictly prescribed religious tolerance and the same attitude towards all religions. Otherwise, he would lose his throne. In the labels (decrees) of all khans, without exception, the clergy were exempted from tribute, duties and duties. All religious property was recognized as inviolable. Religious ministers were declared free from public works.

Although the khans themselves were pagans until the second half of the 13th century, a significant part of the Mongol army consisted of Muslims. Even after the Tatar khans converted to Islam, they did not change their attitude towards other religions and beliefs. The prohibitions of Genghis Khan were carried out strictly.

The Armenian Bishop Macarius, who served as a preacher in the Hun nomad camps of flat Dagestan, testifies on this occasion: “And it is very natural if they everywhere, wherever they dominated, patronized all religions, allowed each of their subjects and conquered peoples to adhere to their faith and freely perform their worship ; they themselves observed the rites and were present at the sacred rites of Christians of various confessions, Mohammedans, Buddhists and other pagans.

Therefore, the destruction of the Juma Mosque in Richa by the Mongols cannot be regarded as an act of vandalism, desecration of a religious building of Muslims. It can be assumed that the partial destruction of the mosque was due to its forced assault, in order to suppress the last center of resistance of the defenders.

Obviously, the ten carved wooden pillars of the mosque were saved from the fire by the conquerors themselves. Otherwise, with deliberate arson, and the absence of residents in the village to extinguish the fire, only firebrands would remain from the poles ...

... This is just a small fragment of the long history of my small homeland - a kind of mirror for posterity, which reflects customs, customs, legends, the connection of times, the essence of the changes that have taken place and are taking place in the life of the villagers. And our duty - not forgetting about its historical past, today to appreciate every moment of the present and believe in the future of Rich - a village that will not leave anyone indifferent.

Let there be no aul without people, let there be no sakli without a threshold and a threshold that the kunak did not cross, let there be no hearth without fire and fire without heat, and heat that would not warm a neighbor, - so the inhabitants of my native land said. The lifestyle of the people of Richin is in complete harmony with nature. Indeed, for a rich life of a person, he needs, like air, familiarization with the beautiful and quiet soothing sounds of the river and air filled with the aroma of morning and soothing colors of dawn, impressing peace and tranquility in the heart. Nothing can compare with the state of a person who enters this world of harmony and nirvana. At the same time, dreams and thoughts become deeper and sharper.

I saw a lot of beautiful corners of the planet, but my thoughts always strove here, in this mountainous, proud village, my Rich, which I know my countrymen would not exchange, for any overseas kingdom. Everyone feels extraordinary sympathy for this small unique region.

Richa is my sadness and my joy. I have not yet learned to sing you! ..
And in Rich, as always, serenity!

Gadzhi Alkhasov about the real problems of Yuzhdag and attempts to cause discord between its peoples

After a protracted inactivity, due to the state of health, I finally decided to visit Agul again - my "small" Motherland. Several issues had to be resolved. Firstly, to talk with the residents of the district about pressing problems, secondly, to make sketches about the local museum and, thirdly, to agree with representatives of the younger generation on holding trainings for youth in the district. In addition, there were a number of other considerations.

But I must say that none of these tasks could be achieved - paradoxically, there were simply no people with whom it would be possible to talk about all this. Perhaps such a mournful outcome was due to the fact that our trip fell at the end of the New Year holidays and there were no people in their places. But after walking around the area a little and talking with ordinary people, I realized that this was not the only thing.

We have already had to talk about the demographic problems of Agul in our previous notes. But the real state of affairs here is much worse than one might imagine. The area, having long ago begun the transition to the stage of protracted agony and stagnation, is slowly fading away.

It is regrettable to report that today there are only 3-3.5 thousand people left in the entire region, which clearly does not coincide with the official data, which contains information about the population with the right to vote only more than 8 thousand people, not counting the rest.

It is not clear where the authors of such quasi-reports get such a contingent of voters, if a little more than 1200 electric meters are registered in the entire district, including meters of state institutions still functioning in the district - schools, offices, offices. Each registered appliance represents one household, predominantly inhabited by the elderly.

The area has long been forgotten and abandoned by everyone. Therefore, it is not surprising that all public life here, including the activities of the municipal administration, is reduced to frank formalism.

More than once on trips I personally encountered a situation where it was impossible to find anyone in the administration, with the exception of some next “on duty” left here just in case of a fire, and if I managed to get the right person, then only after numerous unsuccessful calls.

"I can't, I'm busy now!" - this is a standard excuse that you have to hear every time from officials, whenever, to whom and on whatever issue you turn. True, the answer to the question of what they are doing where all public life has long froze, and not at their workplace, is a secret with seven seals.

And what is even more striking is that there are not rare cases here, as local residents say, when the heads of certain state institutions, especially the directors of some schools, prefer to manage the institutions entrusted to them at a distance, disappearing for months in the capital of the republic or somewhere else. , visiting here only on the day of the distribution of salaries. In general, it must be said that the schools in Agul are such only in name. Almost all of them are premises, somehow erected by the forces of the first collective farms at the dawn of the formation of the district, and which cannot have anything similar to school standards.

The only exception is the model school commissioned last September in Burkikhan. And the building of a secondary school in the village of Goa, absolutely without any hyperbolization, can be demonstrated as a real symbol of the irresponsibility of the leaders of the education system of the republic at all levels.

All of it, together with the teachers' office, consists of only three rooms with dung heating and a two-three-meter narrow corridor that have long since fallen into complete disrepair. I really regret that it was not possible to capture all these local "beauties". But in the future I will undertake to organize a photo exhibition of the achievements of the historical development of the Aguls during the period of cohabitation with their more successful fraternal peoples in a single republic. The absolute poverty reigning here has long become a familiar picture.

In this sense, today it can be clearly stated that as a result of the unbalanced social, economic and national policies pursued in the republic, an incredible property stratification has occurred not just of individual segments of the population, but of entire nations.

Moreover, some of them, despite the fact that they have already tried to secure their material well-being for years ahead, continue to increase their potential in the same way, while others, with their tacit consent, are thrown far beyond the poverty line. To feel with your own eyes the difference in the material wealth of different peoples, it is enough just to walk around the cities and villages of Dagestan and randomly look into the houses of representatives of different nationalities.

It's ridiculous to say, but the difference is visible not only at the level of average incomes received by representatives of different nationalities, but also at the level of old-age pensions. In Dagestan today this has become an obvious fact. And due to what should the pensions of ordinary mortals increase, if highly paid positions, state benefits, and everything else here is the property of only selected peoples?

The attitude of our government to the small nations can be demonstrated by various methods. I'll give you a fresh example. In November of the past year, representatives of small ethnic groups, including Aguls, Rutuls and Tsakhurs, were invited to the RGVK company in order to conduct radio transmissions along with numerous peoples. But in January, their activities were already suspended. As explained - because of the lack of funding from the government. That is, here the government showed its conviction that the financing of projects for small peoples is not an item for which funds should be allocated. And so in everything. It is difficult, of course, to understand why there is enough funding for any kind of projects for large peoples, but it immediately dries up when it comes to small peoples?

Similar examples can be given endlessly. But, by and large, everyone who is supposed to know about the unenviable situation of the Aguls knows. But the problem is that no one considers it necessary to lift at least a finger on a finger in order to change the current situation. They are already comfortable enough to take on unnecessary burdens. But the trick is that aguls are no exception in this regard. To one degree or another, the problem of “deprivation”, first of all by power, and then by everything else, is characteristic of all the peoples of the Lezgin group.

Therefore, if we really do not want to be finally driven into a “corner”, the question of what to do and how to get out of these “pincers”, where we have been driven for a long time and persistently, will sooner or later have to be solved by joint efforts. We are also deeply convinced that the methods of "enlightenment", however attractive they may seem, will not solve this problem either. Today, there is more on the map than issues of preserving identity, language, cultural heritage, and so on.

For example, it is impossible to consider a normal situation when, in the conditions of the deepest socio-economic crisis in which the entire Yuzhdag is, preferences and “road maps” for deploying business structures here, purchasing land, building various facilities, etc. appear to people from the outside. And along with this, under the fanfare of populism, they are still making attempts to introduce instability into the local community, with the help of rallies and demonstrations, setting one part of the people against another, thereby depriving them of the opportunity to consolidate. The same attempts are made in order to quarrel among themselves the Lezgin peoples.

It is easy to demonstrate the social, economic and political “deprivation” of the peoples of Yuzhdag using the example of the sea. A significant part of its water area falls on the coast of Southern Dagestan, but at the same time, local residents do not receive in any form a single penny of income for its use.

Or the same gas pipe. Why don't the Lezgins and others raise the question of at least reducing the amount of payment for domestic gas for themselves due to the fact that it passes through their territories?! I am even silent about the gasification of Agul. Indeed, all over the world, those countries through whose territories gas and oil communications pass receive huge dividends from this.

I am aware that the list of such underestimated and underused nodal resources associated with the Lezgin regions can be expanded by anyone. But at the same time, it must be admitted that at the moment not a single people of the Lezgin group has such an effective social force that would be able to accumulate such ideas and, through their structures created on a legal basis, bring them to power in the right form.

The only viable Lezgin structure in this regard, the FLNKA, is squeezed by its own statutory and legal obligations. Therefore, I think it makes sense to think about how to solve these problems. Otherwise, there is a risk to continue to remain with nothing.

Gadzhikurban Alkhasov, Representative of FLNKA in Agul district

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The nineteenth century, rich in events, gave Dagestan many glorious sons, whose names are well known among the current generation of Dagestanis. These are Sheikh Muhammad Yaragsky, Sheikh Jamaluddin Gazikumukhsky, Imam Gazi-Muhammad, Imam Shamil, scientist Haji Nasrullah Kabirsky and many others.

However, in the constellation of outstanding personalities there are those whose names are undeservedly forgotten. They seem to have been specifically deleted from the memory of their descendants, and therefore their names today say little about anything to anyone. Among such historical figures of Dagestan, first of all, should be attributed Muhammad Usugsky, an associate of Imam Shamil and a native of the Agul village of Usug of the same name.

At home, Muhammad is considered a sheikh, and his name is pronounced with such trepidation that it involuntarily attracts attention. Here, on his grave, a small ziyarat was erected - a modest structure made of roughly processed river stone. Inside it is tidy and clean. Next to the grave is a massive gravestone. On the smooth front surface there is an extensive inscription in beautiful Arabic script. Right there in the corner of the room, a long staff and a hat of Muhammad with a green ribbon around the band - that's all that has been preserved from him.

In order to try to learn a little more about him, a year and a half ago we organized a trip to the village of Usug, which is located in the Kurakh region. But, unfortunately, it was possible to find out a little. Fellow villagers only remember that Sheikh Muhammad was a colleague of Shamil, and one of those who remained faithful to him to the end.

After the conclusion of a truce by the great imam, he returned home with his wife, an Avar, whose name was Patimat. Then he made a hajj to Mecca, during which he met with his mentor Jamaluddin Gazikumukh in the Turkish city of Kars.

Muhammad Usugsky received from Jamaluddin Gazikumukhsky the title of sheikh and a blessing for preaching the tarikat. Upon returning home, he opened a madrasah in his native village, where he taught children Islamic sciences. He also conducted various sermons among the population of the surrounding villages.

And his wife Patimat was engaged in cutting and sewing clothes, receiving a certain payment for this. And so they lived. But the sheikh did not manage to complete the mission entrusted to him by his mentor, because he soon fell ill and died.

Approximately the same information about him is possessed by residents of neighboring villages. But some time ago, luck smiled at us. In the ninth issue of the "Russian Archive" for 1896, we found notes by Yevgeny Kozubsky, in which he, talking about the actions of members of the Shamil family, also mentions Muhammad Usugsky. Mainly because we are talking about the sons-in-law of Shamil, who were the sons of the teacher of Sheikh Muhammad - Jamal-luddin Kazikumukh. Some difference in the information of the villagers and Evgeny Kozubsky is noteworthy.

So, if Kozubsky reports that Sheikh Muhammad “although he tried, strictly performing religious rites, to show his piety, he did not preach anything,” the villagers report the opposite.

Namely, that he not only preached among the local population, but also opened a madrasah in his village. However, I am citing a relevant fragment of Yevgeny Kozubsky’s notes: “... Of the other members of the Shamil family, Shamil’s sons-in-law, the sons of his father-in-law, Dzhemal-Eddin Kazikumukhsky, who was famous in the history of Muridism in Dagestan, more than once attracted attention and initiated correspondence.

About the latter is in the office of the office. early Doug. region (1861, No. 175) an interesting piece of information. From the bailiff's diary under Shamil for 1861 sent to the head of the Dagestan region, Prince Melikov, he saw that the old Jemal Eddin, as the last murshid (spiritual mentor in Sufism - ed.) in Dagestan, although he still has not announced anyone or as his successor, but he has already appointed four murids for this title, namely:

1) Kurali-Magomu in the village. Yarage;

2) Urakli-Magommed in the village. Uracli, who already did miracles even then;

3) Nur-Mohammed in the villages. Yinghu;

4) Magoma-Debira in the village. Arch.

The last of them is an old man, and the rest are far from being old people.

In 1860, all four were going to Mecca; Of these, Kurali and Nur-Mukhammed, as family members, wanted to return to Dagestan, and the bachelor Urakli wanted to stay in Mecca forever.

According to the information collected, it turned out that Kurali-Magoma, called Molla-Magomed among the people, comes from villages. Usug, Kyurinsky Khanate, where he had up to 15 smokes of relatives, including his own brother.

In the early 40s, Molla-Magomed fled to the recalcitrant mountaineers, and all this time he was with Shamil, and after conquering the Eastern Caucasus, he moved to the village. Chirkei, where he married the niece of the local honorary citizen of Jellal.

While living in Chirkei, Molla-Magomed very often came to his former teacher Jemal-Eddin, who lived after the capture of Gunib, before moving to Turkey, in the villages. Kazanishchi: with him, Molla-Magomed was always in the closest relationship and received from him more than once material benefits, as if to support himself with his family.

In 1861 he lived for about a month in the villages. Usug, even here, although he did not preach anything in a religious spirit, but apparently, he tried to show his scholarship and knowledge of religion, he was extremely devout and very strictly performed all religious rites, which managed to instill in society an opinion about himself as a person very learned and real Muslim.

From Usug he returned to Shamkhaldom, from where he went to Mecca, on his return from which he settled in Usug, where he died on January 14, 1863 ...”.

Thus, if we summarize all the information collected, we can conclude that of the three murshids - the supreme spiritual mentors in Sufism, who preached the tariqat in Dagestan in the nineteenth century, two came from the area of ​​​​Kure - Sheikh Muhammad Yaragsky and Sheikh Muhammad Usugsky.

There is also brief information about the last murshid in Asari Dagestan by the notorious Gasan Alkadarsky. Here Sheikh Muhammad Usugsky is mentioned as one of the most educated people of that time.