THE "DERVISH" OF AZERBAIJANI LITERATURE

In one of its articles about Baku 100 years ago, R+ wrote on the 40th anniversary of the stage activity of one of the first Azerbaijani actors - Mirza Muxtar Mammadov. In November 1913, the cultural-educational and theatrical community of the capital celebrated another significant event - the 40th anniversary of the activities of the publicist, playwright, theatre and public figure, and one of the founders of Azerbaijani theatre, Nacaf bay Fatalibay oglu Vazirov.

In love with the theatre

Vazirov was born in Susa in 1854. His family was poor - his father was ill and unable to work, and his mother had to take care of everything. At 12, he was sent to a religious school - madrasa. There the future playwright learnt to read the Koran. A year later, he was sent to the Susa city college. "There one of the pupils was instructed to teach me the Russian alphabet on cards. My teacher named Mykirtich beat me with his hand or a card often without my fault, by reason of habit. I could not stand it and quit the college," Nacaf bay recalled later. The boy's parents saw him as a mirza - a scribe, and they asked one of the family members to teach him grammar. However, the boy had his own plans for the future.

To continue his studies, he came to Baku in 1868. Here he was accepted into the second grade of real school. "I had no idea about geography and natural history, and the school said that they accepted me thanks to my smartness," said Nacaf bay. Initially, he lived at his cousin's, and a year later he was admitted to the boarding house at public expense. Six years later Nacaf bay Vazirov graduated from the real school with a silver medal.

It was during the period of study in school that the young Nacaf bay experienced an event that had a profound impact on his future fate. On 12 September 1873, he, a sixth grade student, visited the theatre for the first time. The theatre made a strong impression on Nacaf bay. "I realized its importance," he wrote 40 years later. The very next day Nacaf bay posed a question to the school teacher Hasan bay Malikov: "Do we have any drama works in the Tatar language and can we make a show?" The answer was positive. Hasan bay Malikov brought M. F. Axundov's works and the play "Haci Qara" was chosen to stage a performance.

Every day after lunch, rehearsals of the first Azerbaijani performance were held in the school canteen. The roles were distributed among the students who were at the boarding house. Nacaf bay played both male and female roles. And then came the long-awaited day. Baku governor Staroselskiy and his wife came to watch the students' performance. The audience was delighted. But most of all, teacher Hasan bay Malikov rejoiced at the success of his students, and organized a "gala dinner" for the "actors" later.

That same evening, Hasan bay Malikov sent a telegram to Axundov in Tiflis, informing him about the production of his play. In his reply the distinguished playwright thanked the students and said that they extended his life for ten years.

Under the impression of the play, the young Nacaf bay Vazirov wants to write something himself. His first work written in student years was a drama from school life "Ati sanin, sumuyu manim" ("The meat is yours, the bones are mine"), which ridiculed the vices of the system of education at the madrasa. Then he wrote the drama "Garagunlu" ("Unhappy") and several more plays that did not survive to this day.

Unrestrained desire for enlightenment

While studying in higher grades of the school, Nacaf bay Vazirov simultaneously gave private lessons and thus saved money to continue his education. In two years, he saved 600 roubles. With this amount in 1874, he travels to St. Petersburg for admission to a local university. But he was not fated to study in the capital. In St. Petersburg, he became ill with a fever and on the advice of doctors he had to leave the city. However, this turn of events did not affect his desire to get higher education. Nacaf bay comes to Moscow and enters the Petrovskiy Agriculture and Forestry Academy. In addition, he successfully passed the exam for a scholarship and thus provided his education in the next four years. Incidentally, his fellow student in the academy was V. G. Korolenko who was out of favour with the authorities and later became a famous Russian novelist.

In 1875 the first newspaper in the Azerbaijani language "Akinchi" ("Ploughman") begins to be published in Baku. Nacaf bay became a regular contributor to the newspaper, sending articles from Moscow. His articles are always topical and poignant: "When I am alone, I think what will be with us in the future and when we will think about our sad situation. We have no unity, culture and schools. Are the Caucasian Muslims unable to collect 20,000 roubles to open a school? We have bays who lose a hundred roubles in a moment or we have khans who spent a thousand roubles to please 'Ivan Ivanovich' and give him anything he wants. In every town and village of the Caucasus there are people who arrange wakes dedicated to 'apostles', invite mullahs with thick necks, merchants in high hats, Hajis with wide belts and bays and khans dressed in gold, treat them with pilaf and tea and see them off. Are such wakes recognized as righteous and opening schools for poor children as sinful?"

After graduation from the academy, Nacaf bay Vazirov worked as a forester in the Dilijan tract in Erivan Province, in the town of Qazax. However, he had to quit his job. "The best of all universities, the Petrovskiy Academy frightened bureaucrats with its name, and academy students were considered free-thinkers. I also became a victim, serving as a forester. God is a witness that I am not guilty. Being proud and consoling myself that I am from the Petrovskiy Academy I could bear injustices "for popularity among the population," he said in his autobiography, which was written at the request of Firudin bay Kocarli.

Leaving the post of forester, Nacaf bay Vazirov returned to Baku in 1895, taking an exam for a private attorney and worked until 1903. In 1903, he became secretary of the Baku City Duma. This was an elected position: the candidacy was put to a vote at the City Council. The secretary of the City Council was elected for four years. Nacaf bay spent 10 years in his role as secretary of the City Council - until 1913. Over the years his candidacy was put to a vote several times, and each time only one person voted against him... His contemporaries noted Nacaf bay Vazirov's utmost honesty, sincerity, unrestrained desire for the enlightenment and awakening of his people.

Gratuitousness

As a citizen Vazirov was characterized by the fact that he never took fees for his works, whether they were literary works or journalistic articles. There is another example. Being in the post of secretary of the City Council, Nacaf bay received a salary of 3,600 roubles per year. However, he left that position in order to become deputy chairman of the college commission of the City Council with a salary of 3,000 roubles a year. He knew very well that in the new post he could be of great benefit to society and people. Compared with this, the loss of income was nothing for him.

Vazirov also remained true to his principles during the celebration of the 40th anniversary of his creative activity. The initiator of the celebrations for the writer was the Muslim Educational Society Safa. A jubilee committee was set up with Haci Zeynal Abdin Tagiyev as its honorary chairman. Invitations to the event were sent out to the Muslim charities of Russia, as well as charities existing in Baku regardless of religion and ethnicity. The event took place on 15 November at the Tagiyev Theatre. Mammad Amin Rasulzada spoke about the life and work of Nacaf bay Vazirov. Dr N. Narimanov delivered a speech on behalf of the Astrakhan charitable and educational organizations. Representatives of the Safa, Nasr-Muarif and Nicat societies congratulated Nacaf bay Vazirov on the anniversary. V. G. Korolenko sent a telegram: "Hello from an old friend, a wish of long work." Nacaf bay received telegrams from the Transcaucasia Mufti Huseyn Afandi Qaibov, Muslim organizations of Orenburg, Ufa, the Volga region and other centres of Russia.

The jubilee committee raised about 7,000 roubles. For the tickets received, donations were sent by H. Z. A. Tagiyev (500 roubles), A. M. Nagiyev (300 roubles) and the office of Samsi Asadullayev (200 roubles). Among the contributors were Ali Bala Zarbaliyev, Aga Yusuf Dadasov, brothers Bala bay and Ali bay Ashurbayovs and Persian Consul Mirza Davud Khan.

Vazirov gave up the money that was raised in his honour. He asked to send it in favour of a vocational school that the Safa society intended to open. Taking the floor at the event, Nacaf bay Vazirov thanked the Safa society for the solemn anniversary. "I am a dervish and will remain it until I die," he said in conclusion.