Cemetery :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Cemetery

Iran / Western Atrpatakan / Salmast / Mahlam

Historical Introduction

One of the most remarkable pages of the history of Armenian national liberation movement is devoted to arms-carrying groups which were formed in the ‘90s of the 19th century. Imbued with the idea of the liberation of their homeland, the members of these detachments selflessly committed themselves to the difficult and most important mission of transporting arms to Yerkir—this is how they gently and tenderly called their occupied Motherland. Unfortunately, the names of many of the members of these groups are not even known, their remains being scattered throughout their sacred Homeland without any memorial stones, without anything to perpetuate their memory. With this respect, perhaps, the only exception is a pantheon of nine tombstones located at the eastern extremity of the cemetery of Mahlam Village (it remained inhabited by the Armenians until 1946) in the historical district of Zarehavan (later renamed Salmast with larger territorial coverage). These memorial stones, which are stylistically identical and bear the same date, are arranged in a single row, within an equal distance of each other, extending from the north southwards. Beneath them repose nine Armenian fighters for freedom who suffered martyrdom: Khacho M. Harutiunian and Harutiun Khachoyan from Moks; Nakho Ghazarian and Harutiun Abrahamian Pokhanian, two inseparable friends from Vozm (“He was Nakho’s childhood friend, and they had joined revolutionaries together”); Harik Abgarian from Shatakh; Gabriel (pseudonym: Mnjo) Muradian from Kaghbi Village, Shatakh; Galust Guloyan from Norduz, one of the participants of the operation of Khanasor; Stepan Petrossian from Khizan, and Avetis Ohanessian from Hazari Village, Chemeshkatzag District. So, who were these martyrs and what episode of the Armenian liberation struggle made the cemetery of Mahlam a place of eternal repose for them?

Ասլան Ստեփանեանի յուշերը, գրի առաւ Հայկ Աճեմեան, Թեհրան, 1966: Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 15.

These fighters for freedom were members of leader Pokhik’s arms-carrying group, which was formed in Salmast in 1897. In the summer of 1898, they reached Van, but “...Teroyan was no longer there, having been killed at the fighting of Kurubash so that it was now difficult to keep the armed group in Van. At that time despair and discouragement reigned there. Pokhik had to leave the city and return to Salmast with 10 members of the group.” The hard, long-lasting journey made the leader of the fighters tired and sick so that he proved unable to continue his way and stayed in Ghalasar Village. The others reached Mahlam and “...entered the house of one of the local people. Learning about it, the peasants who feared lest the owner of the village, Assistant Judge Hajji Khan, might hear about it, demanded that the guests leave at once. The members of the group, who were still hungry, tired and unwell after their difficult and perilous journey, asked them for permission to stay there for a couple of days to have some rest and recover from the way. They moved away towards the gardens of the village to take shelter in a wine press. However, a few blockheads were not satisfied with this: led by Agha Zako, they went to the Judge of Khoy and Salmast, Zargham-ü-Mülk, and asked him to imprison the Armenian dare-devils and punish them severely. The latter immediately sent a whole company of troops with two guns under the leadership of the traitors, and Hajji Khan, with 300 Kurdish soldiers joining them from the neighbouring [village of] Soma. The mob which had received strict instructions encircled the garden where the Armenians had found refuge and immediately launched shooting and bombardment. This took place at sunrise, on 13/25 October (Tuesday). The poor arms-carriers, who did not want to harm the local Armenians with any daring action, fearing lest the latter should suffer if they put up any resistance against the Government, went out to meet these troops and declared that they had never had any reason to do anything against the Persian authorities; that the arms they had could serve only for their self-defence against bandits, and that there was no crime about bearing arms, for it was not banned in Persia. Nevertheless, if the authorities suspected them of anything, they were ready to give up their rifles and surrender. This was the very formidable moment when Oriental barbarity clashed with the self-denial of patriotic soldiers... Up to that day no cases of killing or executing Armenians and Christians in general had been known in Persia, but this time, in response to the heroes’ generosity, the troops started slaughtering them, Hajji Khan immediately having their heads cut off and sent to Zargham...”

Pokhik (Ohan Ohanian or Vahram Hovhannissian, 1873, Sak Village, Shatakh - 1904) participated in the fighting of Derik in the spring of 1896 and the operation of Khanasor on 25 July 1897. Ռուբէն, Հայ յեղափոխականի մը յիշատակները, հ. Բ, Թեհրան, 1982, էջ 49: «Դրօշակ», 1898, N 11, էջ 96-97: Ruben Ter-Minassian writes the following about this tragic event in his memoirs: “The inhabitants of Mahlam held a consultation and decided not to allow the group of Pokhik into their village. They suggested that the soldiers should not enter there, but the latter were exhausted, with their feet swollen, so that they were unable to go anywhere (and where were they to go?): they found refuge in the gardens outside the village, in the open air, while Pokhik, who was seriously ill, was taken to Ghalasar to undergo treatment. The “most influential” of the inhabitants of Mahlam went to the representative of the [Armenian Revolutionary] Federation, Samson, to tell him what had happened and ask him to make the soldiers move away from the village: otherwise, they would go and report them to Zargham and the Government. Samson tried to persuade them to wait at least for a couple of days, but the representatives of the peasants thought that he merely wanted to gain time for the fighters to gradually gain footing and enter the village. Consequently, they went directly to Zargham and asked him to either drive the fidayis away from their village or imprison them. Only 3 of the 8 soldiers who had taken refuge in the gardens of Mahlam had rifles. At dawn the Persian sarbazes came and encircled them. It was banned to fight against Persians in Persia so that our fidayis decided to move away without any resistance, their aim being to ascend the [nearby] mountain. While they were on their way, one of them was killed, and the others entered a tower where the Persians killed or injured one or two of them (although our fighters did not show any resistance against them), arresting the rest. The poor soldiers thought that they would not be killed and would be released by bribe, as it had always been the case by that time. They, however, were mistaken: all of them were murdered, their heads being cut off and carried to Dilman, where it was declared that they had been killed during fighting” (Ռուբէն, Հայ յեղափոխականի մը յիշատակները, հ. Բ, Թեհրան, 1982, էջ 49). Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, pp. 15-16.

The terrible news immediately spread. The Vicar of Salmast, Archimandrite Khachik Dadian, “...demanded that Zargham return their heads, but the latter answered that he had given them to the Turkish authorities. In fact, however, he had had their faces photographed and then buried their heads in one of the streets of Kyohna-Shahar Village so that Archimandrite Khachik got back only their corpses and interred them in the graveyard of Mahlam.”

On 8 June 1898, Senior Archimandrite Khachik Dadian was appointed Vicar of Salmast Diocese and held office until November 1899 (ՀԱԴ, ֆ. 319, ց. 1, գ. 179, . 2 շրջ. և 15). «Դրօշակ», 1898, N 11, էջ 97: Most presumably, we owe the photograph of the nine martyrs buried in Mahlam to Archimandrite Khachik Dadian, who probably found the photographer and acquired this rare photo by some means or another. Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 16.

Archimandrite Kh. Dadian continued protesting together with the Primate of Atropatene Diocese, Bishop Sahak Ayvatian, thanks to which, in two weeks’ time, the martyrs’ heads were returned and re-buried in the cemetery of Mahlam: “Indeed, after all these events, there were acts of protest and intercession on different occasions and in different places: Archimandrite Khachik Datian, the Primate of Atropatene, Bishop Ayvatian, as well as the English and Russian Consuls applied to Emir Nizam and Sadrazam: the Archimandrite was permitted to return to his place of office, while Hajji Khan was dismissed from his post. No other noteworthy consequences. Zargham moved to Khoy for some time, as Judge of Salmast and Khoy... Through the intercession of English Consul General Woot, the heads of the 9 martyrs, who had been killed by the Persian and Kurdish soldiers, were returned to the Armenians, and on 30 October, the mournful ceremony of their re-interment was held...”

In 1882 Sahak Ayvatian (1853 to 1924) was ordained Archimandrite in Varag Monastery by Mkrtich Khrimian. He held the office of Primate in Eudocia (1887 to 1888), Belgium (1889 to 1890) and Marseilles (1890 to 1894). In 1895 he was appointed Vicar of Atropatene Eparchy, and in 1898 he was elected Primate of the same diocese (he also led the Indo-Iranian Diocese at short intervals). «Դրօշակ», 1898, N 11, էջ 97: Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 16.

After this event, group leader Pokhik was unjustly expelled from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Party, but a short time later, he was admitted back and continued the transportation of arms with a newly-established group.

Պատմագրութիւն Հայ յեղափոխական դաշնակցութեան, հ. Բ, Աթէնք, 1991, էջ 479: Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 16.

As the history of Armenian liberation struggle shows, treachery has never remained unpunished, and the case of Mahlam could not have been an exception. Without waiting for any order from the party, Yeprem Khan “...assembled 6 to 7 of the soldiers, including Sarbaz Khecho, Damo, Gre and others, right on the same day and attacked Mahlam in the shroud of night, ignoring the fact that the armed men of Zargham were there to defend the traitors. He entered the house of Mughsi David, one of the organisers of the carnage of the fighters, killed him together with all the members of his family and left the village secretly. In the morning, when the door of Mughsi David remained unopened, the local people and the Persian soldiers who were in the village went to his place and became witness to the terrible scene. This murder made such a deep impression on the Sarbazes (the men of Zargham - translator) that they left Mahlam instead of staying there.”

In the 1880s, Yeprem Khan (Yeprem Davtian - 1868, Barsum Village, Shamkhor District, Northern Artsakh - 6.5.1912, Surje Village, Iran) moved to Western Armenia and joined the hayduk groups. In 1890 he was imprisoned for his participation in S. Kukunian’s heroic attempt of crossing the Russo-Turkish border and was exiled in 1892 first to Siberia and then to Sakhalin. In 1896 he managed to run away and again went to Western Armenia. Yeprem Khan took part in the operation of Khanasor in 1897, and in the Iranian Revolution between 1905 and 1911. Appreciating his military skills greatly, the authorities of Iran bestowed the title of Supreme Commander (Sardar) on him. He was killed at the battle of Surje Village, located near Hamadan City, in 1912. According to another source, Yeprem Khan took revenge on Agha Zako for the 9 Armenian martyrs: “...as for Agha Zako, it is only known that his faithful service was repaid with death which he shared with his wife and daughter” («Դրօշակ», 1898, N 11, էջ 97). Ռուբէն, Հայ յեղափոխականի մը յիշատակները, հ. Բ, Թեհրան, 1982, էջ 49: Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, pp. 16-17.

Later the Persian Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation decided to execute the other traitors: “The event made a great impression [on everybody]. Not only all the people of Salmast, but also the local powers were in a shock, fearing the consequences of the intercession of the English Consul. However, days and weeks passed, everything grew quiet and the everyday routine of life was resumed. Only we, those who had known the martyrs personally, their friends, could not calm down. We still saw those slaughtered before our eyes and they called for formidable revenge: revenge at least on those traitors who had organised the slaughter of nine of our comrades, men who had forsaken their homes, ignoring death and dangers, in a most impudent way... ...the information collected on the spot was submitted to the Central Committee of Persia. ...In accordance with its decision, two of the traitors, Stepan and Khus Arakel, have already been terrified. As a betrayer notorious throughout the village , the former was in certain relations with Governor of Salmast Hajji Khan and had played a great role in the tragedy. The latter was an awfully depraved craftsman who had acted as a guide for the Kurdish horsemen during it. ...One of the representatives of the Government, who had proved so cruel towards the 9 arms-carriers, Hajji Khan, was at first dismissed from his post, but he has been called back, while Zargham, Governor General of Salmast and Khoy, has been expelled only recently: he has been summoned to Tabriz for explanations.”

«Դրօշակ», 1899, N 3, էջ 41-42: Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 17.

Eventually, at 6 o’clock p.m. on 3 January (according to the new calendar) 1899, “...two of the main authors of the betrayal of the nine fighters who had suffered martyrdom, namely, Stepan and Khus Arakel,” received a punishment fitting what they had done.

«Դրօշակ», 1899, N 2, էջ 18: As reported by another source, after the murder of their accomplice, the scared traitors ran away from the village, but this did not help them escape vengeance. Thus, one of them “...was soon killed, whereas the other, who had fled to Russia, was murdered only in 1905” (Ռուբէն, Հայ յեղափոխականի մը յիշատակները, հ. Բ, Թեհրան, 1982, էջ 49). Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 17.

The available records contain information regarding only one of these nine martyred Armenians, Nakho Ghazarian Amirbekiants. He was born in Vozm Village, Moks District, Vaspurakan Province, in 1858. At first he held membership of Armenakan Party, but later he joined the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and became member of Nikol Duman’s group of hayduks. Nakho Ghazarian participated in numerous fights, including the operation of Khanasor. Avetis Aaronian perpetuated his memory in one of his Armenian-language short stories entitled The Armenian (§Ê³ÛÁ¦): “...it was a peasant’s face on which hard life had put its imprint of stiffness... he was a young man, but looked like one who had lived through many experiences: below his thick moustache his thick lips were seen tightly pressed together, imparting an expression of persistence to his face. His eyes were small, but ardent and full of energy... The village of O. used to have a lot of Armenian inhabitants, but all of them abandoned it: this one proved unwilling to beg, like a crane which has fallen behind its flight, but preferred to stay and guard it. The local people did not know his name well: instead of calling him Nakho, some called him Mkho and others Mko, but eventually, they almost unanimously started simply calling him ‘The Armenian.’ It was nice and easy here; besides, he was truly an Armenian for he came from Vozm Village of Armenia.”

Ղարիբ, «Խայը» (Նախօյի յիշատակին), «Դրօշակ», 1899, N 2, էջ 29: Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 18.

Aslan Amirbekian-Stepaniants, a native of Vozm who was the leader of a group of Armenian fighters, writes the following about Nakho, his uncle’s son, in his memoirs: “...a stout man with a black papakh, dressed in some strange clothes. ...that man was hayduk, revolutionary fighter Nakho, whom later fighter Harutiun from Vozm (my godfather) joined. Once Duman found refuge in the mountains of Shatakh together with his group. One day he sent Nakho to the [neighbouring] Armenian villages for bread. The latter came across a Kurd on his way, and both of them became witness to the desperate struggle between a snake and a stork. In the long run, the former wound round the latter’s neck and strangled it. All of a sudden, Nakho seized the Kurd’s dagger, hanging on one of his sides, and killed him stabbing him in the chest, plunging it there up to its handle. It was this real incident that was recorded by Avetis Aaronian, who wrote a fine story entitled The Armenian on its basis... At first he (Nakho Ghazarian - translator) held membership of Armenakan Party, but later he joined the ranks of the Armenian Revolutionary one, becoming one of the faithful soldiers of Vazgen (Tigran Teroyan). In 1896 he went to Salmast together with Vazgen’s group and was admitted to Nikol Duman’s large group of hayduks, participating in the fights of Boghazkyasan and Khanasor... In the autumn of 1896, Nakho took part in the fighting at the Pakhchians’ house, which was not a very serious one...”

Ասլան Ստեփանեանի յուշերը, գրի առաւ Հայկ Աճեմեան, Թեհրան, 1966: With regard to the murder of this Kurd, A. Aaronian writes that in 1896 Vardan sent Nakho “...to the village of Kezel-Dash for bread, but our fighting hindered his return to the mountain. Then he decided to go to Shatakh, but on his way there, he was captured by the kholam (courtier) of a Kurdish bey as a ‘fedayi.’ Neither Nakho’s oath nor any facts could convince him that he was a simple Armenian and not a ‘fedayi.’ The Kurd took him to the city to consign him to the mercy of the Government, but Nakho did not let him fulfill his intention: he jumped onto him from behind, seized his two daggers hanging from his belt and stabbed him in both his sides, killing him like a dog and robbing him, after which he went back” («Դրօշակ», 1897, N 1, էջ 7: Cf. Խանասորա Վարդանի յիշատակարանը, Երևան, 1992, էջ 169, 171). Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 18.

Unfortunately, despite our strenuous efforts, our search for biographical data regarding the other eight martyred fighters proved fruitless. Below follow their epitaphs which contain their first and family names as well as those of their birthplaces—the only available pieces of information which we owe to Archimandrite Khachik Dadian.

Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 18.

Later several other Armenian fighters were buried in this Pantheon, one of them being Avetik Davtian.

Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 20.

The Pantheon of Mahlam is a place of eternal repose for a group of Armenian martyrs who lived guided by the worship of their Homeland and sacrificed their lives for the sake of this sacred value.

Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 20.

Once the sacred remains of the Armenian fighters who sacrificed their lives for the sake of their Homeland used to repose throughout its territory, but due to certain historical circumstances, the graves of most of them were totally destroyed by the mean enemy. With this respect, the Pantheon of Mahlam is one of those rare ones which are still preserved outside the borders of the present-day Republic of Armenia. It would be fair and nice of at least a small part of the multitudes of Armenian believers visiting different Armenian sanctuaries—for instance, the monastery of Thaddeus the Apostle—to include this sacred place in the sites of their annual pilgrimages.

Abrahamian Emma, The Pantheon of Mahlam, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, p. 20.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2011 y․

The Pantheon of Mahlam

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Droshak 1899, N 1
Source Press Publication

The martyred Armenian fighters (by a Persian photographer)

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Archive
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1898 y․

Pokhik’s group in 1898