Aran Regional Department of National Museum of Azerbaijan Literature named after Nizami Ganjavi of ANAS located in Kurdamir city is a cultural center which carries out culturological strategy of the in Shirvan area. Started its activity in December, 2005 Aran Regional Department (ARD) prerared several cultural-mass measures according to scientific-research and master plan on museology of the Literature Museum named after Nizami Ganjavi and carried them out successfully since the day of its establishment.
ARD occupies some spheres of assignments:
Enrichment of its funds – collection of scientific-artistic materials, realization of their investigation and presentation;
Ensuring of implementation of scientific conferences and jubilee measures;
Establishment of contact with the museums, cultural-enlightenment centers and educational enterprises;
Ensuring of various memorial literary evenings and cultural-mass measures;
Aran Regional Department started its wide activity from the first days of its establishment and commemorated the 70th anniversary of Eynulla Jabrailov, well-known mugham master on February 18, 2006.Well-known Azerbaijani poets, writers and intelligentcia of the region took part in this measure and shared their impressions.
On March 25 Aran Regional Department held a measure dedicated to the Honored worker of Culture Ashug Shakir Hajiyev – the best follower of ashug (minstrel) school, and presentation of the book “Ashig Shakir” by a talented journalist and scientific worker of Aran department Tofig Abdullayev.Famous scientists and writers of the Republic - a correspondent member of ANAS, Doctor of Sciences Rafael Huseynov, , Doctor of Sciences S.Ganiyev, head of the department of Nizami Museum Sh.Alibayli, M.Kalantarli, poets I.Tapdig and K.Kurgiragli, Public artist of Azerbaijan A.Israfilov and district community and intellectuals were the participants of the measure. These measures were reported by district and central mass media (newspaper “Izvestiya”, 14.05.2006).
It should be mentioned that since its establishment Aran Regional Department has implemented plenty of measures on museology and culture. Scientific fund of the museum was enriched with more than 300 artistic, scientific, publicistic and monographic works. The department – Museum Gift fund was enriched with the gifts presented by famous writers and poets, cultural figures and guests of several measures. It has become a tradition.
Aran Department achieved successes in investigation of collected scientific-artistic materials. Senior staff scientist of the department , Doctor of Sciences Seyfaaddin Ganiyev investigated history, geography, ethnography, culture and folklore of Shirvan area and published many books about its well-known figures of science, culture, literature, religion and other spheres. He put into practice the investigation, presentation and propaganda of cultural-spiritual values successfully. The book “Soltan ojaghi” (Hearth of Soltan), monographs “Gobustan” and two-volume edition “Shirvan ashuglari” (Minstrels of Shirvan) are of this type of scientific researches. For the first time the scientist gives information about hundreds of ashugs’ life and creativity, makes an example of their works in his investigations. He presents the first edition of their works to the broad masses of readers. The head of the department Yagut Ashrafova defended her thesis on the life and creativity of ashug Ahmad Rustamov successfully. Books and articles of the young scientist propagandize life and creative activity of scientists and cultural figures in conferences and mass media.
Aran Department permanently holds scientific-practical conferences jointly with District Executive Power, district branch of YAP (NAP) in connection with memorial days of national leader H.Aliyev in the museum of H.Aliyev. The Museum curator made report “H.Aliyev is the creator of azerbaijanism idea”.
Aran Department held scientific-practical conference commemorating the 170th anniversary of Hasan bay Zardabi - an outstanding Azerbaijani enlightener and founder of national journalism. Head of the museum department Yagut Bahadur gizi had a report “The newspaper “Akinchi” and social environment”. Representatives of District Executive Power of Kurdamir, Zardabi foundation took part in the conference.
In 2007 Aran Department renovated the activity of the literary society which had been established by the philanthrope and poetry-fancier of the XIX century -Mahmud Agha Shirvanli. This project of Aran Department-Museum was supported by Kurdamir municipality and Relief fund of the Institute of Open Society.
One of the ancient hearths of civilization in the territory of Azerbaijan is Shirvan. Shirvan is the birthplace of prominent Azerbaijani poets and philosophers. In the beginning of the XIX century, in 1826 a well-known Azerbaijani philanthrope and poetry and music-fancier Mahmud Agha Ahmad Agha oglu Shirvanli was born in this area. He was born in a noble family and became a knowledgeable man of his time. Mahmud Agha Shirvanli founded the literary society “Mahmud Agha literary society” the popularity of which passed its bounds. A well-known French writer A.Dumas and Russian traveler I.Yermakov could not hide their admirationabout it, Russian artist K.Gagarin immortalized its national pecularity in his painting with beautiful composition and color harmony. The way of culute and enlightenment which was established and continued by Mahmud Agha Shirvanli till the end of his life (1902) has been renovated by Aran Department in 2007. In the renovation ceremony of this lierary society the scientists, cultural figures and businessmen of the Republic participated actively.Heads of the departments of the National Museum of Literature named after Nizami Ganjavi of ANAS Sh.Alibayli and M.Kalantarli had reports, head of the “Shirvannashr” G.Isabayli, mugham singers Aghakarin Nafiz, Nemat Araboghlu, Safali Aliyev, ahugs Niyazi Keskin, Ahmad Mustafayev, Aghamurad Marzangali and singer Samaddin Askerov took part in the ceremony. Nowadays Aran Department often helds “Poetical moments” literary-musical measures along the line of literary sircle. The literary evening dedicated to writer Gasham Isabayli’s creativity was held in January 2009. There were also literary evenings dedicated to academician, Laureate of State prize and Honoured Science Worker Aghamusa Akhundov on the subject “Let’s know prominent intellectuals closely”. The 100th anniversary of Public poet Samad Vurgun’s birthday was held together with the students of primary school №1
Aran Department continues its activity of commemorating jubilees ceremonies of such ashugs as Ashug Bilal, Ashug Shakir, Ashug Ahmad, Ashug Farhad and poet Karam Kurgiraghli. Yagut Bahadur gizi published and presented monograph about “Creative activity of Ashug Ahmad”.
Every year in February the measures dedicated to Khojali genocide simultaneously discussion of the book “It bled on the snow” are held by the Department.
Nowadays Aran Department is going tp celebrate scientific-practical conference dedicated to 130th anniversary of poet-patriot Mahammad Hadi. Departments of education and culture of the district carry out investigations on Hadi’s life spent in Kurdamir and his socio-political activity. Aran Department has close relations with scientific-investigation and source study department of the museum of Azerbaijani literature named after Nizami Ganjavi, different memorial, regional studies and house –museums, District Executive Power of Kurdamir, District Executive Power of Hajigabul,education, culture and enlightenment organizations of districts, representatives of intelligentsia and young writers. Aran Department held the jubilees of writers Mehdi Huseyn (100), Huseyn Arif (85), Ismail Shikhli (90), Jafar Jabbarli (110), Ilyas Efendiyev (80) together with Kurdamir DEP and District Center of Culture.
