Togolok Moldo (real name - Bayimbet Abdyrakhmanov) - the famous Kyrgyz akyn and a connoisseur of folklore. He became famous for performing the epic "Manas" and other national legends. He is also known as the author of many literary works in verse. You will learn about his fate and work from this article.
Difficult childhood
Togolok Moldo was born in the village of Kurtka. Now it is the Naryn region of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. The boy grew up in a poor peasant family. The father of the future celebrity was fond of folk art. He was considered a connoisseur of Kyrgyz poetry and often spoke to his compatriots with songs and poetic traditions. These performances were very popular with the public.
At the age of 9, Bayimbet went to study with a mullah. He then began attending a local Muslim school. At the age of 14, the boy’s quiet life was disturbed by a sad event - he lost his father. First, he was taken up by a close relative - Muzooke - a famous akyn and komuzist. Four years later, this good man died. His family was in an extremely distressed situation. In order to make ends meet, they had to move to Jambal and to hobble on a local bai. However, nobody began to live better from this. Further, the future poet, along with his relatives, went to his mother’s homeland - to the village of Kara-Dobe in the vicinity of the city of Tokmak (Chuy valley). Here the guy got a job at a local mullah. A passionate desire for knowledge forced him to read books and ask his employer questions. But the mullah did not want to educate the worker. Then Togolok quarreled with him and returned to his homeland.
Formation in creativity
What was Togolok Moldo's journey in life? Omur button accordions (that is, his biography) includes many bright events. In search of the work of his whole life, akyn tried various types of activities. He was a doctor, taught literacy to local children, carried away by literature and politics. Still, living in the Chuy valley, the future poet met with Kazakh and Kyrgyz akyns. From them, he learned the skill of retelling the epic and important storytelling techniques. The guy read a lot, was engaged in self-education. He studied the work of the greatest poets of the past - Abai, Hafiz, Firdousi, Navoi, Nizami. In 1987, he returned to his native village and with renewed vigor set to work. For his memorable appearance and outstanding abilities, he received the nickname Togolok Moldo (round timber). It is due to the fact that the guy had a strong physique and short stature. In addition, for a craving for knowledge, contemporaries called him a "smart guy." The nickname was so suitable for the future celebrity that he made it his pseudonym.
Democratic mood
Back in 1880, the poet made friends with Toktogul Satylganov - akyn-democrat. This politician greatly influenced our hero. Friends formed a very close creative union. Under the influence of democratic trends, akyn writes talented satirical poems. They denounces the mean nature of the rich Togolok Moldo. “Kemchontoy”, “Babyrkany” - typical works in this area. They became the hallmark of the famous poet. Also widely known is the poem "The Legend of Water and Land Birds." In it, the author in allegorical form reveals the contradictions between the rich and poor. Moreover, his sympathies completely and completely remain on the side of the common people. He himself comes from peasants and perfectly understands their hopes and aspirations.
Fight for freedom
Before the revolution, Togolok Moldo was repeatedly harassed by the authorities. In 1916, he was forced to leave his native land due to the harassment of bays and manaps. Akyn settled in the village of Kol-Boor, where he was caught in the October Revolution of 2017. Inspired by Bayimbet became the herald of the revolution. He created poems more similar to laudatory odes - “Revolution” and “Freedom”.
The fate of akyn deserves a large-scale film adaptation. In Kyrgyzstan, complicated relations with the Soviet regime took shape. In the early 1920s, anti-democratic sentiment intensified. The talented akyn had to survive several attempts. Basmachi completely ruined his house twice. On one of the blackest days for the poet, bandits took his wife away. However, Baymbet does not give up. He continues his work. In 1923 he returned to the village of Kurtka and one of the first to enter the collective farm. Until the end of his life, the poet has steadily defended his political views. He died in 1942, January 4, and is buried in his native village.
Creative achievements
Togolok Moldo has become a true innovator in his country. Yllars (poems) of this poet absorbed two powerful cultural sources: Kyrgyz folklore and advanced written literature of the East. Akyn became the mouthpiece of the common working people. He talked about their problems, urged to fight against injustice, to earn a living by honest and hard work.
In his youth, Moldo was fond of love lyrics. Moreover, in verses, he urged young virgins to fight their disenfranchised position. This is dedicated to his best poems and poems - "Urpyukan", "Black-eyed", "Tolgonai" ... A special place in the poet’s work is occupied by national cries and lamentations - armanes. Usually, in his mournful recollections of the deceased, his industriousness, purity, and remarkable strength were revealed. The writer ennobled many folklore stories - “Telibay Tentek”, “Babyrkan”, etc. The establishment of Soviet power inspired him to create large-scale poems - “Revolution”, “Instructions to the poor”. The latest creation is considered one of the first works of art in Kyrgyz literature. It was published in 1925 in Moscow. On difficult days of the Great Patriotic War, akyn inspired compatriots to win - “We are ready”, “We will win”. Togolok Moldo took the liberty and recorded the second part of the national epic called “Semetei”. He is considered the creator of the first Kyrgyz fables. In addition, the ethnographic scientist collected a large number of legends, proverbs and sayings.
Memory
The anniversaries of the birth and death of the great akyn are widely celebrated in Kyrgyzstan. In the capital of the republic - Bishkek - a monument was erected to him. It is located in the park, which bears the name of the famous akyn. The composition is a stone bust of solid pink granite. It was installed in 1963 in honor of the centenary of the birth of a celebrity.
The name of the legendary poet are schools, lyceums and squares. Togolok Moldo Street is one of the central in any major city of the republic.
Conclusion
The compatriots are kind to their national hero. The portrait of the national akyn can be found on the banknote - 20 Kyrgyz soms. A st. Togolok Moldo is one of the cleanest and most well-groomed in the capital. There are a lot of greenery, beautiful old buildings, cozy cafes and restaurants.
The creative achievements of the great poet will remain in the memory of people for many years to come. He was remembered by his descendants as a talented poet and an implacable fighter with injustice.