Mehmed Hussein Shahriyar within the Context of Georgian Literatur

Abstract

Mehmed Hussein Shahriyar (1906-1988) was an prominent figure in 20^th-century Turkish and Persian literature. His works demonstrate the highest level of poetic artistry and embody the beauty of Persian poetry that spans centuries.Shahriyar's name first appeared in the Georgian literary scene in 1967, when Davit Kobidze included his poems in a Persian Chrestomathy, which included a brief note about the poet: “Shahriyar is a very popular poet in Iran. The influence of motifs from Saadi, Shiraz, and Hafez is noticeable in his poems, evoking the essence of ancient verse. Still, he possesses a unique poetic voice and vision“.  Tengiz Keshelava dedicated an extensive essay to Shahriyar, where he referred to him as a unique master of ghazals. The researcher examined Shahriyar's poems in detail and classified them into three groups: 1. Classical style poems, in which the influence of classical poets is clearly discernible; 2. Romantic poems that encompass personal feelings; 3. Poems that address social themes in a realistic manner.In 1973, Magali Todua, a renowned literary figure and translator of Persian poetry, traveled to Iran on a scientific mission. When Shahryar learned of his presence, he invited the Georgian researcher to his home, leaving Magali Todua with fond memories of their meeting.Shahryar is celebrated across the Turkic world for his poem Greetings to HaydarBaba, which has been translated into 80 languages. Oktay Kazumov rendered the text from Azerbaijani into Georgian as a direct translation, which was then artistically adapted by the Georgian Iranist and poet Nomadi Bartaia. He carefully aligned the 3+2 verse structure of the original with Georgian in order to adequately convey  the spirit of the poem. In 2017, the Georgian translation was published through the efforts of the Council of Azerbaijani Elders of Georgia, with support from the Ministry of Culture of the Islamic Republic of Iran.