"Sharvili" Festival opens in Akhty

The 17th Festival "Sharvili", which unites Lezgins of Dagestan and of neighbouring countries, is held today in the village of Akhty. On July 28, a festival of folk music "Lezgi ses-2016" took place there.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by Dashdemir Sherifaliev, the chief specialist of the Akhty District for Media Relations, the village had seriously prepared for the feast: the local budget allocated 12 million roubles to reconstruct two parks, repair the streets; local residents took part in subbotniks.

Rasul Kurtaev, an organizer of tours to Akhty to "Sharvili" Festival, has noted the growing interest among residents of other regions of Dagestan in the festival.

"Sharvili is a hero of the folk epos, a defender of homeland," Amil Sarkarov, a deputy director of the "Derbent" Fund of Social and Cultural Development, has explained, adding that the epos has no religious component.

Khanzhan Kurbanov, a journalist and the moderator of the programme "Kunatskaya" at the Republic's State TV and Radio Company "Dagestan", believes that the festival gives Lezgins an opportunity to feel their unity.

On July 28, the village hosted the contest-festival of folk music "Lezgi ses-2016". It was held by the Charitable Fund "Enlightenment" for the second time. The contest was dedicated to the Year of Mountains, Mr Sherifaliev has explained.

According to his story, the contest has attracted about 30 performers from neighbouring districts, and from Derbent, Makhachkala and Moscow. All of them received prizes and cash rewards.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.