On Sunday, December 4, 2017, the Hamazkayin Gladzor Chapter’s Literary Committee organized its traditional Book Lovers’ Forum at the renovated Harutyun Manoogian Library. The hero of the day was Hamasdegh. The young member of the Club Arda Der Hagopian was to present the writer.
The Gladzor Chapter's Administrative and Literary Committee member Varak Babian welcomed the guests and mentioned that such Hamazkayin initiatives preserved our culture. Then he presented Arda Der Hagopian. Born in Aleppo, she graduated from the Karen Jeppe Djemaran and the biotechnology branch of Aleppo State University. Currently, she has settled in Toronto and is a member of the large Hamazkayin family.
Arda readily started her presentation and transferred us to the village of Percench, in Kharberd where in 1895, one of the most talented authors writing about rural life, Hamasdegh (Hambartsum Kelenian), was born․ She presented the writer’s life and works in a clear Armenian language, mostly focusing on Hamasdegh’s correspondence with intellectuals such as Nigol Aghpalian, Simon Vratsian, Aram Haigaz, Y. Khashmanian, A. Isahakian and others. The audience listened to those readings with great interest.
The participants of the Forum really enjoyed the readings of the 8th grade students of the ARS Gololian Pre-School Eliz Kandaharian (Armenian Spirit) and Varak Mesrobian (Blue Beads). Varak Babian read Nigol Aghpalian's letters to Hamasdegh written in 1932 on his father's death.
At the end of the program, Varak Babian presented Abel Vartabed Oghlugian’s book Literary Pieces of Gomidas Vartabed and Hamasdegh’s Village and Rain to Arda and to readers as a gift in the name of the Board. Then the Forum members were treated to coffee and cookies.
We all, being thousands of miles away from Kharberd, felt the warmth of Percench village, and censed in commemoration of Hamasdegh on that Sunday.
Hasmik Papian