Main City of the East
by Giga Chikhladze
One starts realizing that Telavi is the vine capital of Georgia even on route to the city, which is more like excursion of a vine factory – vine tasting is the only thing that is missing. Name of the villages repeat the names of the vine brands – Vazisubani, Akhasheni, Mukuzani, Kardanakhi, Tsinandali… It takes only 2-3 hours by a car to get to the capital of Kakheti from Tbilisi.
The first thing that captures one’s sight is a view of the Caucasus mountain range. It is everywhere; whether you look north, south, west or east – majestic, silver haired Caucasus. It even seems impolite to turn your back on it. Like the Great Wall of China, Caucasus guards Georgia from all the troubles that come from the north. Everything is different in the North – it is much colder and a war is going on there. And visas do not matter for the mountains.
Only one, one and a half years ago, as night approached, it seemed that Telavi’s soil was shaking of noise of power generators. Some of them used gas, some – diesel fuel. Each power generator provided several families with electric power. These families paid for fuel and everybody seemed happy with it, if, of course, one can be happy in such conditions. But gradually, price of diesel fuel went up and gas counters were installed in the houses. So, now nights are very quiet and peaceful in Telavi, but they are bright also. Energy problems became less important issue in Telavi – electricity supply has improved. Very soon the energy crisis may become a history.
Main occupation of Telavi residents is commerce. Usually, people create their jobs for themselves, not counting on anyone or anything anymore (as in the rest of Georgia). Although, there might be ten trading booths on a single small street, everyone is able to earn some little money. So, Telavi has it all: shops, cafes and bars – more than fifteen hundred commercial entities that bring profit to locals and the city budget.
However, it cannot be said that conditions of Telavi residents are perfect. Lately, more and more signs "for sale" appear on houses in Telavi. Some of them are closed and abandoned by owners that left for Tbilisi or even farther – to Russia. Not many want to buy houses in Telavi. The city has witnessed better times. Unemployment appears to be much more devastating then the enemy raids many centuries ago. But thanks to threats of these raids, there are many fortresses and churches, surrounded by heavy walls, in and around Telavi. These historic monuments are the magnets that might have attracted tourists, if living here was more stable and calm.
There are quite many sightseeing places in Telavi – mainly these are old churches, castles, fortresses, and the monuments. There is a museum of the King Erekle II, located in his palace, which looks more like an ascetic cell. And, of course, there are plenty of vines in Telavi. White, pink, red, black, of famous and experimental brands. Anyone in the world would find a vine that matches his or her personal taste.
Forests are gradually vanishing from the Telavi surroundings and in Kakheti. Almost million people use wood ovens for cooking and heating for the last ten years – there was no central heating system in the villages before too, but that time gas and coal were used instead. It is hard to estimate exactly how many trees were cut down during these years. And forest recovery activities are not conducted too extensively, it would more proper to say that they are not being conducted at all. Up to recent times, even wind shielding forest areas were cut down around the agriculture fields. Only thing that can be done now is to keep hoping that improvement of energy supply will slow down this process.
Newcomer to the city would notice many features, but the number of youngsters hanging around at every corner would be the most eye-catching sight. Telavi accumulates youth from every nearby village or district – young men come to the city for studies, to avoid conscription. But studying is not a great deal for them, even if they are enrolled into once well-known Telavi State University. Majority of the employers do not require diplomas, and besides a job in present unemployment circumstances is not an easy task. On the other hand, what will a village boy learn, if only goal for him to study is to avoid wearing a military uniform and for this he is giving bribes to the lecturers at the exams…
Where one can spend time, rest or amuse himself in Telavi, you would ask. I had the same question too. And the answer is more or less the same: go for a drink. For Telavians even the most modest party is a best time spending option from everything that is available. Many experts believe that splendid Georgian style party is a very good psychological stimulator, but, regretfully, later such kind of leisure gradually becomes a pure alcoholism, or an escape from everyday idleness. The biggest problem in Telavi (and not only there) is unemployment.
As of other types of amusement: the concerts are rare and theatre plays by visiting artists, there are some billiard halls and cafes, but all these are rather unaffordable for low-income residents. And in general, there are quite many of them, especially in provinces. So, on the one hand the city is very bored… In Tbilisi choice of places to go in the evening is larger, but how many people actually benefit?
Some ten years ago Telavi airport was operating at its full capacity. At this airport worked a main character of the famous comedy movie "Mimino" – known well in the whole Soviet Union as an archetype of Georgian man. Few years ago shuttle flights to Moscow and Dubai were quite frequent here. But now the only aircraft that take off from here are the helicopters that hurry to remote mountain villages with emergency aid missions.
Every guest in Telavi finally is being taken away from the seemingly endless party table to Alaverdi temple sightseeing. En route from Telavi to Alaverdi gigantic Caucasus mountain range, covered with clouds, appears at right or in front of the traveler. It is hard to turn your excited eyes away from this magnificent view. But in times the temple was built people looked at the mountains with fear, expecting rides of the highlanders. Clashes were constant here. While going to their fields, peasant carried daggers and swords, and rifles later, with their working tools. There hardly are the any old houses in Kakhetian villages near the border that do not keep grandpa’s swords, muskets and other ancient weapons… and modern Kalashnikovs. As close as in the beginning of the 90-ies this modern weapons were used to protect homes and families from the modern bandits. These times are left behind, but at the Chechen border it is as dangerous as in the ancient times.
The wall of Caucasus, blue sky, bright sun, silent wind, and the temple, surrounded by a mighty fence. When you enter the temple and look up to the dome, you see sun beams cutting through the dusty temple air, frescos, painted by people who’s ashes rest in the earth for hundreds of years.
A Temple of Alaverdi (the temple was built in XI century, other buildings of the temple complex were built between X and XVIII centuries) along with Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta is one of the most outstanding samples of Georgian architecture. Battles were very frequent event here, so the huge defense walls were not just useless luxury.
Alaverdoba festival is dedicated to one of the important battle victories. People from nearby villages and other parts of Georgia come to the temple for celebration. It is remarkable that among them many are Muslims, living in the surroundings. And each one prays to his god. It might seem just unbelievable, but there is a mosque standing in the yard of the Christian temple. The legend says that Persian invaders were so impressed with the temple’s beauty that they decided not to destroy or disgrace it and built a small mosque in its yard. Centuries passed, the mosque is closed now, but it still attracts not only Muslims, but Christians too. A wonderful example of tolerance that is needed so much in Georgia today…
Villages called Alaverdi are in Armenia and Azerbaijan as well, mostly near the Georgian border. Explanation to it is very simple – until 1921 all these territories belonged to Georgia. There are villages with this name in Georgia even now. Most famous one is in Akhmeta district, where the temple is located.
One version says that "Alaverdi" means grass, another says that it means sunflower. Today this word is spread all along the Caucasus, it is known in other CIS countries as well. In modern meaning, word "alaverdi" means passing a right for a toast to other member of the party table. "Alaverdi to you" means that you are supposed to continue the toast, adding something from yourself, saying something bright, symbolic and necessarily optimistic.
