The great Turkmen poet and thinker, founder of Turkmen literary language Magtymguly Fragi, the 300th birthday anniversary of whom is widely marked today in Turkmenistan, lives in the memory of people forever with his immortal works. His name has firmly taken a worthy place in the ranks of such outstanding thinkers of the past as Firdausi and Rudaki, Navoyi and Nizami, Dante and Shakespeare, Rustaveli and Pushkin, whose works make up a golden treasury of world literature.
In its time, the poetry of Magtymguly opened a new, bright and impressing page of history of Turkmen literature and served as a vivifying source of inspiration for a subsequent remarkable galaxy of outstanding Turkmen poets-classics - Kemine, Mollanepes, Seydi and Zelili.
The poet could express the best aspirations of progressive-minded intellects of his time, thoughts and expectation of people. In the poetic world, he could absorb all colours and riches of national creativity, expanded and supplemented it and brought in a lot of new and original. The poetry of the poet has stood severe test of time and reached up to now in the magic and enslaving purity, touching by its deep thoughts and feelings.
Unfortunately, many manuscripts of the poet had been lost during his lifetime, the lyric poetry of Magtymguly has reached to our days through national bards, whose repertoire passed from father to son.
Specialists and literary critics through his verses, national legends and stories restored the data of life of Magtymguly. The fact that with passage of time the remained works by the poet were printed by printing houses and publishing houses worldwide, also facilitated it to a great extent.
Researcher, scientist and writer Alexander Hodzko-Boreyko can be considered one of the first publishers of poems of the poet. In 1842 in London, he published three poems by Magtymguly. It was from that moment that the lyrical poetry of Magtymguly, which makes up a separate, original branch in the history of general world book printing started its continued way up today. Following it, the Hungarian scholar A.Vamberi, Russian scholars F.Bakulin and I.Berezin published works by the Turkmen poet and studied them in their research works.
However, creativity of the great poet of the East became a property of mass readers only from the early 20th century when collections of his works had been published. And it was famous Orientalist N.Ostroumov who first published a cycle (collection) of poems by Magtymguly in 1907. One can fully confirm that exactly from that moment the publication of poems of the poet started in the most various printing houses and world publishing houses.
For us, today's readers and amateurs of lyric poetry by Magtymguly, it is clear and joyful that in Uzbekistan they make a decision on wide celebration of the birthday anniversary of the poet at the highest level. In 1911, in Tashkent in the private printing house of G.Arifjanov poems were printed and one of the first collections of works by Magtymguly under the title «Stories of thirty two seeds and Magtymguly» was published. It is really pleasant that Magtymguly has really become the favourite poet for the Uzbek people.
Exactly in a year, his fellow compatriot, Turkmen educator A.Niyazi had printed a collection of poems of the poet in the private printing house of A.Amanov in Astrakhan. Scholars and researchers of creativity of the great poet believe that a collection under the title «Divan of Magtymguly», released out of print in Bukhara in 1914 became one of the early editions of the pre-revolutionary period, which included about two hundred poems by Magtymguly.
As a whole, promotion of book printing in Central Asia and emergence of local private lithographs opened a new page in the edition of works by Turkmen authors. Emergence of printing business in the territory of Turkmenistan in the 1980-ties of the 20th century also promoted it to a great extent. During that period, unlike other big cities of Central Asia, such as Khiva, Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, in Ashgabat (then Askhabad) books were not published in the Turkmen and other Oriental languages not so much. And the first Turkmen publishers and book sellers Mirzahid Mirsadyk ogly, Gurbanberdi Gurgenli and Abdurahman Niyazi at their own expenses initially printed works by Turkmen classics in actively operating then printing houses (lithograph) of G.Arifjanov in Tashkent. For example, the book of poems by Magtymguly «Stories of thirty two seeds and Magtymguly», released out of print as separate edition, was republished there for several times.
The listed facts testify that in the Pre-Soviet time, editions of works by Magtymguly enjoyed a wide popularity and promoted distribution of his works among peoples of the region to a great extent. Nevertheless, a serious, scientific research of literary heritage of the poet was carried out during the Soviet period. In this regard, academician A.Samoylovich made one of the first huge contributions to the study of Turkmen literature, including works by Magtymguly. He made an extensive «Index to songs of Magtymguly» into which more than 190 lyrical poems of the poet were included. This work of Samoylovich became for Turkmen followers of the scientist one of starting basic works to study peculiarities of works by Magtymguly. In particular, a collection of works by Magtymguly published in 1926 in Turkmenistan testified, first, to the fact that the young state, along with other major issues of existence, paid attention to collection, study and edition of literary monuments of Turkmen people created throughout centuries. Secondly, engaged in preparation of poetic collection, the National Commissariat of Education of the Republic, the State Academic Council, which was established under it and Institute of Turkmen Culture could not neglect works of researchers of works by Magtymguly in any way, including those of academician A.Samoylovich. As a result, a collection of more than three hundreds poems of the poet became a property of people who received more many opportunities for studying creativity of their great fellow citizen.
On the eve of the Second World War, the authorities of the Republic made a decision on celebration of the birthday anniversary of the poet, but owing to the definite reasons it was not possible to mark it fully as was planned. Nevertheless, in 1940 «Selected works» (74 poems) of Magtymguly who, by the way, ran into three editions for the first time, were published. In tragic 1948 for Ashgabat the fullest collection of «Selected poems» by Magtymguly (257 poems) was published in the translation of A.Tarkovskii, G.Shengelii and M.Tarlovskii.
The following years, printing production published in newly created republican printing houses with works of the Turkmen classic distinguished that poetic collections replenished each time with new poems, which were found out by researchers of creativity of Magtymguly. And in 1959, a number of new editions, which included «Aphorisms of Magtymguly», a one-volume edition and two-volume book of selected poems of the poet, were released out of print.
Bibliographers of Turkmenistan noted that from the moment of emergence of first printed variants of poems by Magtymguly and till the end of the 1980-ties of the past century in the most different printing houses and publishing houses poems of the poet were published in various circulation more than 500 times. And it did not take into account publications in mass-media and radio and TV broadcasts. And how many editions escaped the account owing to various circumstances! It was also observed that the mass publishing boom of poems of Magtymguly was experienced in 1941, 1946, 1959, 1961, 1971 and 1983, in other words, in the pre-military and post-war time as well as in the 1970-80-ties of the past century. It was connected with an increasing interest of the younger generation of the country, poets and writers in creativity of the great son of Turkmen people.
The edition of poems by Magtymguly in foreign countries started, as was mentioned above, with A.Hodzko-Boreyko and A.Vamberi in the 19th century with publication of poems of the poet in English and German languages. In the 1920-ties of the past century, sheikh Musin Fani in Turkey continued to acquaint readers with lyric poems of the poet, having reprinted poems by Magtymguly in the form of a separate collection. The example of their Turkish colleague was followed by publishers of Iran who from the mid of the 20th century repeatedly published works by Magtymguly in the Turkmen language. A bit later, but approximately the same years, the relay race of poems of Magtymguly was taken by L.Bazen, who published a collection «Poems of Turkmenia» in French.
From 1940, poems by Magtymguly were published in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Here it is necessary to note that a special place in emergence of works in languages of nations of the world undoubtedly belongs to translators. Work of poets-translators and publishers on acquaintance of readers with inspired verses of the coryphaeus of Turkmen literature deserves special respect.
Verses by Magtymguly were translated practically into all languages of peoples of the former Soviet Union. In 1975 in Paris, a collection of verses in French under the aegis of the United Nations was released out of print with UNESCO’s support for the first time and its author and compiler was B.Karryev. Subsequently this collection was republished twice.
One could assert that from that moment the poetry of Magtymguly constantly remained and remains in the centre of attention of researchers and publishers who promote understanding of the poetic world of Magtymguly, invariably expand the publishing portfolio, including at the expense of lyrical poems of the poet of Turkmenistan.
In connection with the 300th birthday anniversary as well as past anniversary celebrations, in many countries of the world new editions of verses of Magtymguly are prepared for release. Messages of diplomatic representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan that various actions on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of Magtymguly are actively carried out abroad appear continually on pages of printed media. Publishers intend to please admirers of the poet with new collections of his works. For example, one of such actions was held not so long ago in Baku where the presentation of selected poems of the Turkmen poet in the Azerbaijan language took place. Professor Ramiz Asker – famous translator of verses of Magtymguly, prepared the book for the edition.
In Uzbekistan, celebrations on the occasion of the 300th birthday anniversary of Magtymguly by the decision of the President of the Republic will be held at the highest level. A special program according to which a number of concrete celebratory actions are planned, will be adopted, including the book «Selected poems» by Magtymguly Fragi is prepared for printing.
Naturally, Turkmen publishers on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of the poet also prepared for release new books of creativity of the poet as well as collections of poems of Magtymguly. The Turkmen state publishing service has already released a number of the books devoted to the heritage of the classic of the Turkmen literature. One of the novelties - the book of creativity of the poet by Doctor of Philology M.Amansahatov. One more edition – a collection of articles of Magtymguly prepared by the faculty of Turkmen State Institute named after S.Seydi. The publishing house "Ylym" (Science) publishes a book by Doctor of Philology A.Mammedov «Magtymguly in the literature of Turkic people». The Institute of History and Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan prepares a collection of articles «Great Magtymguly and life of the Turkmen». The researcher of creativity of Magtymguly G.Geldiyev has released his work under the title «Names of places and countries in creativity of Magtymguly and their poetics».
Today, in the Fund of manuscripts of the Institute of Language, Literature and National Manuscripts named after Magtymguly of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan a scientific work on study of heritage of the poet is constantly conducted. Creativity of the great master of poetry is investigated scrupulously.
As senior research assistant of the Institute Allayar Churiyev marks, who has devoted many years to study of works by Magtymguly, one of the complexities arising before researchers of creativity of the poet is first of all necessity of search of new historical and biographic facts connected with the person and creativity of the great son of the Turkmen people. Here again an irreplaceable factor of efficiency of works are scientific expeditions in various areas. It includes both searches in libraries of foreign countries, work with experts from other states who study poetry of the East. And, secondly, when something earlier unknown and interesting is found out, there are problems of other character. The matter is that manuscripts can be in different languages, may be written in different alphabets and others. Nevertheless, scrupulous work of our scientists yields positive results. It is already known that our leading and young specialists who visited France, Italy, Spain and India, found out many hand-written editions, including those connected with works by Magtymguly. This work proceeds and gradually expands our representation about greatness and genius of poetry of Magtymguly.
We would also like to note that the poetry of the genius of the Turkmen people enjoys a great demand among the most widely published and readable works and in turn, it serves a bright acknowledgement of importance of creativity of Magtymguly in the context of formation of world cultural heritage.
Today, Turkmenistan marks the birthday anniversary everywhere. Earlier, within the plenary session of the 42nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO the resolution according to which the proposal initiated by the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov on celebration of the 300th birthday anniversary of poet Magtymguly Fragi, was included in the List of significant dates for celebrating in 2024-2025 was adopted. This event is one more of visual evidences of the international recognition of the role and significance of creativity of the great Turkmen poet-classic and thinker Magtymguly Fragi in the world literature and in the context of development of cultural-humanitarian cooperation.
Speakers in celebrations and in local mass-media note that thoughts and poems of Magtymguly are actual and modern today. And direct participation of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty, Hero-Arkadag in solemn events and their assistance in organization of planned actions, including at the international level, promotes further close cooperation of experts, writers, scientists in wide promotion of heritage of the poet and genius of Turkmen people.
