Ashiq Shamshir's legacy highlighted in Ganja

The Ganja State Philharmonic Hall has hosted an event with the support of the Culture Ministry and the Azerbaijan Ashiqs' Union, Azernews reports.

The event was dedicated to a prominent representative of Azerbaijani ashiq art of the 20th century, Honoured Artist Ashiq Shamshir.

A concert program was held with the participation of teachers and students of the Children's Music School No. 1 named after Fikrat Amirov in the city of Ganja, saz performers - Ashiq Rafig, Ashiq Ramin, Ashiq Bahruz, and many others.

The chairman of the Azerbaijan Ashiqs' Union, Ashiq Saleh, highly appreciated the project and thanked the organisers for presenting the rich heritage of ashiq art to today's generation.

Ashiq Shamshir (Shamshir Gurban oglu Gojayev, 1893-1980) was born in the village of Demirchidam, Kalbajar district.

His father, Ashiq Gurban, was an expert in Azerbaijani lyrics and was friends with the famous wordsmith Ashiq Alasgar.

It was he who approved the first poetic quests of the young ashiq, who soon proved himself to be a talented ashiq poet, rose to the level of Dede (Master), making a great contribution to the development of ashiq-ozan art.

Most of his poems, constructed in the form of a dialogue between lovers, are the best examples of love poetry in Azerbaijani literature.

He created a number of works on folklore subjects, in which he calls people to enlightenment.

His poems describe the amazing world of his native nature, where people, animals, plants, and objects of the surrounding world are presented in living harmony with the universe.

Ashiq Shamshir masterfully performed ashiq melodies, created his own school, and educated more than 40 well-known ashiqs.

His legacy is highly appreciated by outstanding Azerbaijani literary scholars, poets, and writers.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.