Magtymguly Pyragy (Persian: مخدوم قلی فراغیMakhdumqoli[a] Farāghi; Turkmen: Magtymguly Pyragy; Turkmen pronunciation:[ˌmɑɣtɯmɢʊˈlɯˌpɯɾɑːˈɣɯ]; c. 1724 – 1807),[2] born Magtymguly, was an Iranian-Turkmen[3] spiritual leader, philosophical poet, Sufi and traveller, who is considered the most famous figure in Turkmen literary history.[4]
Magtymguly is the greatest representative of Turkmen literature, credited with the creation of Turkmen written literature, and whose literary form became a powerful symbol of the historical and the incipient national consciousness of the Turkmen people.[5] He is part of a unique period in the cultural history of Central Asia, with his exceptional talent projecting his personal poetic synthesis onto the next generation of poets of the region.[6] The poems of the Turkmen poet[7] have been translated into many languages of the world, including English,[8] Russian,[8] Kyrgyz,[9] Romanian.[10]
Magtymguly was born in Haji Qushan,[12] a village near the city of Gonbad-e Qabus in the modern-day province of Golestan, Iran, the northern steppes of which are known as Turkmen Sahra (Turkmen steppes).[13] It was part of the extensive Safavid Empire in the first half of the 18th century.[14]
Magtymguly's name, signifying "slave of Magtym," derives from one of the revered lineages within the Turkmen community. In addition to his given name, the poet adopted a distinctive pen name or makhlas, "Feraghi," in his literary works. It comes from Arabic and means "the one separated from" happiness, or union with his beloved.[15]
Magtymguly's father was Döwletmämmet Azady, himself an educated poet.[16] His father was also a local teacher and mullah, and was highly regarded by his people.[17]
Atrek River, Golestan, the region where Magtymguly was born and lived most of his life
Magtymguly received his early education in the Turkmen, Persian and Arabic languages from his father.[18] He also learned ancestral trades such as felt-making and, according to some sources, jewellery.[19]
Magtymguly continued his studies in various madrassahs (religious school of higher learning), including Idris Baba madrassah in the village of Gyzyl Aýak, Gögeldaş madrassah in Bukhara and Şirgazy madrassah in Khiva.[20][19]
Magtymguly provided basic information about himself, his family and children in his poetry. In his poem "Äleme belgilidir" (Known in the world), Magtymguly says: "Tell those who enquire about me that I am a Gerkez, I hail from Etrek and my name is Magtymguly", identifying his homeland as the banks of the Etrek River and expressing his identity through his tribe.[21]
Later life
Magtymguly traveled extensively during his lifetime, mostly to widen his erudition, with the territories of present-day Azerbaijan, India, Iran and Uzbekistan among the countries known to have been visited by him.[22]
Not much is known about Magtymguly's family life. He was unable to marry a woman he loved from his own village, Meňli, whom he dedicated a great deal of his love poems.[22]
The following is the excerpt from Magtymguly's Aýryldym (Separated) poem dedicated to Meňli (in original Turkmen and its English translation):[23]
I am separated from my flower.
From my black-haired beauty,
From my nice-voiced nightingale,
I am separated from my sweet-talking love.
Magtymguly died in 1807.[24] His resting place is in the village of Aq Taqeh-ye Qadim, in Golestan Province, Iran. Nowadays, his tomb is the site of pilgrimages at which prayers and Sufi "dhikrs" are performed by members of different ethnic groups.[25][22]
A number of Magtymguly's poems display Sufistic philosophical attitudes that stress certain teachings and practices of the Quran and the sunnah, describing ethical and spiritual goals.[26]
A number of Magtymguly's ghazals, however, when taken out of context, seem to make antinomian statements with regard to religion. Despite this, Magtymguly should not be compared to an Uzbek poet Mashrab, who was an antinomian heterodox Sufi and hanged in 1712, nor should he be compared to an Iraqi Turkmen poet Nesimi, who adopted self-deification stance. Antinomian heterodoxy appears not to be the major trend in Magtymguly's poetry. His conventional stand, in fact, is the Sufi station of khajrat (bewilderment).[27]
The following is an excerpt from Magtymguly's "Ýar senden" poem is an exemplary work containing all of the familiar Sufi elements:[28]
Magtymguly, aşyklaryň mestinde,
Hyra gözi haýran olar dostunda,
Ýedi ýerde, dokuz pelek üstünde
Ýa, reb, habar bilerinmi, ýar, senden!.
Makhtumquli is drunk with love of You
His dazzled eye stares in amazement at his Friend
In the nine spheres above the seven earths,
Oh Lord, will I hear from You
One of the three madrasas (religious school of higher learning) where Magtymguly studied – Kukeldash Madrasa, Bukhara (present-day Uzbekistan)Magtymguly Pyragy on Soviet Ruble, 1991
The following verse is a call to follow the "sunnah", where Magtymguly also uses the laqab of Aşyk Pyrak (Feraghi-in-love). Note: The first four lines is the original (Turkmen) language of the poem written using Arabic alphabet as in one of the earliest manuscripts, while next are in modern Turkmen alphabet; English translation is provided further down.
1
عاشق فراق دير عرضين
روزه نماز ديان فرضين
Aşyk Pyrak diýer arzyn,
Roza, namaz diýen parzyn,
Feraghi-in-love will state his will,
Our sacred duty is to pray and fast,
2
بوينومزدا اوش بو قرضين
جان چقمان بريب كچلی
Boýnumyzda uşbu karzyn,
Jan çykman berip geçeli!
We have this debt on our shoulders,
Let's return it before we leave!
In the poem below, called "Bady-sabany görsem" (I'd Like to Feel the Wind of Dawn), all three people Magtymguly wishes to have seen (known) are considered prominent figures in Sufism, with Bahauddin being the founder of one of the largest Sufi Sunni orders, the Naqshbandi.[29][30][31]
I'd like to feel the wind of dawn,
On the hills of Dehestan,
I'd like to see Zengi Baba, Bahauddin, Mirkulal.
Political ideals
Magtymguly lived at a time when Turkmen tribes were displaced from their homeland, and plundered as a result of constant clashes with Iran and Khiva. He deeply resented it and expressed his feelings of repentance in his poems.[19] Indeed, Magtymguly express strong social protest in his poems, but his political thought is mostly directed towards the unification of the Turkmen tribes and the establishment of an independent polity for Turkmens.[32]
Poetry
10 manat banknote of Turkmenistan with the image of Magtymguly (2009)
Magtymguly was one of the first Turkmen poets to introduce the use of classical Chagatai, the court language of the Khans of Central Asia, as a literary language, incorporating many Turkmen linguistic features.[33] His poetry exemplifies a trend towards increased use of Turkic languages rather than Persian; he is revered as the founder of Turkmen poetry, literature and language.[34] Magtymguly's poetry also gave start to an era litterateurs depict as the "Golden age" in Turkmen literature.[35] His literary form became a powerful symbol of the historical and the incipient national consciousness of the Turkmen people.[36]
Unlike his father and another prominent Turkmen poet of the era, Andalib, Magtymguly employed strophic form, usually quatrains (qoshuk) for his poems making them syllabic. Vast majority of his poems are in the form of folk Turkmen songs, qoshuk and aydish, with the latter being a form of musical contest usually involving two poets.[15]
Legacy
Magtymguly is part of a unique period in the cultural history of Central Asia; his exceptional talent projected his personal poetic synthesis onto the next generation of poets of the region.[6]
27 June is celebrated in Turkmenistan as "the Day of Workers of Culture and Arts and the poetry of Magtymguly Fragi".[37]
The International Organization of Turkic Culture declared 2024 the "Year of the Great Poet and Thinker of the Turkic World Magtymguly Pyragy",[38] the anniversary of Magtymguly Pyragy is also included in the list of significant dates celebrated jointly with UNESCO in 2024-2025. In connection with the anniversary, a large-scale plan of festive events was approved in Turkmenistan and other countries, including Uzbekistan.[39]
Monuments
In May 2024, a monument dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of Turkmen poet and philosopher Magtymguly Fragi was unveiled in Ashgabat at the foot of the Kopetdag mountain range.[40] The 60-meter sculpture of the poet stands on a 20-meter pedestal, to which a majestic staircase with massive granite bowls leads.[41][42]
A monument to Magtymguly made of concrete and natural stone was erected in Magtymguly Square on Magtymguly Avenue in the center of Ashgabat in 1971.[43] He is also one of several statues that surround the Independence Monument in Ashgabat. The statues depict people praised in the Ruhnama, a spiritual guide written by Turkmenistan president Saparmurat Niyazov.[44]
Municipal state general education institution School named after Magtymguly Pyragy in the village of Funtovo-1 (Astrakhan Oblast of Russia).[57]
Secondary school named after Magtymguly Pyragy in the daikhan association "Ergesh Sultanov" of the Dusti district (Khatlon region of Tajikistan).[58]
Cinema
Makhtumkuli (1968, producer Alti Karliyev) — the role was played by Hommat Mulluk.[59]
Fragi – Razluchyonnyy so schastyem (1984, producer Khodzhakuli Narliev) — the role was played by Annaseid Annamuhammedov.[60]
Postage
1959 postage stamp of the USSR
In 1959, the USSR issued a postage stamp to mark the 225th anniversary of the birth of Magtymguly.[61] In 1983, the USSR issued another stamp to mark the 250th anniversary of his birth.[62]
Turkmenistan issued a 10 manat banknote bearing his likeness in 2009.
Other
In 1974, an orchestral composition by Veli Mukhatov was created "In memory of Magtymguly".[63]
In 2013, the composer Mamed Huseynov wrote an opera called "Monologues of Magtymguly Pyragy".[65]
From 2002 to 2008, the month of May in Turkmenistan bore the name "Magtymguly".[66]
In 2014, the Magtymguly Pyragy Medal was established as a reward for great achievements in the study, dissemination and promotion of the creative heritage of Magtymguly.[67]
A Turkmen dry cargo ship is named "Magtymguly".[68]
^Gudar, Nurcan Oznal (2016). Mahtumkulu Guldeste. Istanbul: Salon Yayinlari. p. 11. ISBN978-605-9831-48-2.
^Bozkurt, Fuat (2012). The Language of the Turks (in Turkish). Eğitim Yayınevi. p. 321.
^"Dašt-e Gorgān". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Another traditional name for this region is Torkaman Ṣaḥrā, characterizing at the same time the specific and dominant composition of its population.
^Hillenbrand R., Islamic Art and Architecture, London (1999), ISBN0-500-20305-9, pp. 226-228
^Clark, Larry, Michael Thurman, and David Tyson. "Turkmenistan." Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan: Country Studies. Comp. Glenn E. Curtis. Washington, D.C.: Division, 1997. 318.
^Abazov, Rafis. Culture and Customs of the Central Asian Republics. Westport, Connecticut. 2007 p. 89
^Hasan Dani, Ahmad; Masson, Vadim (2003). History of Civilizations of Central Asia: Development in contrast : from the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century. UNESCO. p. 139.
^"Culture is the spiritual light of the people (in Turkmen)". Zaman Turkmenistan. 27 June 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2020. "The proclamation of June 27 of each year as "the Day of the Workers of Culture and Arts and the poetry of Magtymguly Pyragy" makes the workers of culture and art even more proud.
