The cemetery painted by the hand of God


Translated by Giorgi Ghoghoberidze – ნათარგმნია გიორგი ღოღობერიძის მიერ


Date – March 19, Sunday, 2006.
Location – the mountain of Makhata, the cemetery of Kukia, Tbilisi.
Weather – suitable for March, rainy.
Aim – to find the grave of Lado Aghniashvili.


      The cemetery of Kukia is 300 years old, it is compiled with two parts: old and new. In the entrance of the old cemetery, there is a St. Nino’s church. The church is functioning and has its own parish. Of course, I took an orientation on the church and started looking for the grave of Lado Aghniashvili around it. At first I found the graves of the people, who were serving the God during years in the church. I kept looking for the grave, but I was not able to find the desirable one. Unfortunately, I didn’t find any grave, which was dated until the year 1950, and the problem was that, Lado Aghniashvili died in 1904. Then I saw, that each grave had its own number, so, there was a regulated registration, where it was possible to ascertain.



      In the St. Nino’s church nobody knew about the registration, but they told me about one person, who was possible for knowing about the old graves. That person appeared Mr. Bejan Chabua, he take near to his hurt my difficulties, but when he heard, that I was looking for the person who was lost one century ago, he shook his hands…
      He didn’t want to come with me. But something was telling me, that the grave was near. I asked Mr. Bejan one more time, to see the old registers, and I also told him, that the grave of Aghniashvili would be at the top of the registers. As soon as I said the surname, Mr. Bejan jumped out of the chair: “If you are looking for the grave of Lado Aghniashvili, I can show it to you right now”.
      In the entrance, on the left side, there were six similar marbles. I didn’t pay attention to them, because I was looking for the grave, which would be made with the old stile. It appeared that Lado Aghniashvili’s grave was sixth. For not losing these graves, they were taken and buried in the entrance ten years ago. These are:
      1. The merited artist of Georgia – Nino Cinuki Dadiani, 1916-1992.
      2. Famous Georgian pedagogue and public worker – Shio Chitadze, 1873-1906.
      3. Georgian director and artist – Kote Meskhi, 1857-1914.
      4. Famous Georgian artist – Nato Gabunia, 1859-1910.
      5. Georgian dramaturge and artist – Avksenti Cagareli, 1857-1902.
      6. Public worker, pedagogue, ethnographer and folklorist – Lado Aghniashvili, 1860-1904.



      Suddenly I felt incredible lightness… I heard from Mr. Bejan, that his grandchild is taking care for the grave… after some time I and he become very near and started talking like we had known each other well. Then I said to Mr. Bejan, that my friend from Fereidan gave me a seed which was looking like a hazelnut (Pistacia vera L.) and which I was going to sow near the grave. Soon afterward Mr. Bejan brought a hoe, we sowed the seed and irrigated it.
      When I was leaving I went into St. Nino’s church and I lighted three big candles on the name of Lado Aghniashvili…
      Do the kindness!



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Giorgi
Giorgi Ghoghoberidze – Born in March 26, 1993. 14 years old. The student of 9th grade in American Academy.

გიორგი ღოღობერიძე – დაბადებული 1993 წლის 26 მარტს, 14 წლის, ამერიკული აკადემიის მე-9 კლასის სტუდენტი.