Excursion to the village of Nar - to the homeland of Costa Khetagurov

At the foot of the Caucasus Mountains is a small Ossetian village Nar - a magical village of the gorge. In the village there are the most beautiful objects of architecture, merged with nature for a long time. On August 13, 1894, the congregation of residents of the Nara parish, which included the villages of Zaki, Etsna, Zrug, Zasykh, Slas, Torikau, Nar and others, decided to build a one-class parish church school with . Public money. The building was built in 1897. Soon after the school went live, locals began insisting that it be two-class. Residents appealed for help to the Vladikavkaz Synod, the request was granted. On June 6, 1912, the construction of a two-class school began. In 1907, there were 34 students in the Narsk parish school. In Soviet times, the Nar school was transformed into a seven-year school.

Many of those who graduated from the Nar school received celebrity in Ossetia and beyond. Among them is writer Costa Hetagurov. Kosta Levanovich Khetagurov was born on October 15, 1859 in a poor family. Maria Gubaeva was Costa's mother. She died 2 months after giving birth. The father of the poet 5 years after the death of his wife married the daughter of a local priest. Costa was raised by her stepmother and distant relatives. Unfortunately, the stepmother could not replace his mother, as he was a son, she could not love him. Costa knew this and ran away from her to her relatives. In the village there is still a house converted into a museum of Costa, where ancient musical instruments, furniture, utensils and even clothes that were worn a hundred years ago are preserved. But the most interesting thing here is the collection of photos and manuscripts of the poet.

To respect the memory of the poet, the residents of Ossetia every year, on his birthday, go for more than seventy years in a row to the village of Nar - the homeland of Costa Khetagurov, a talented artist and poet. Costa studied at the Nar school, then at the gymnasium in Vladikavkaz. In 1881 he entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, but two years later he was deprived of a scholarship. Left without money, he had no choice but to return to Vladikavkaz. He lived in Vladikavkaz until 1891, wrote only in Russian poems and poems, worked as an artist and created theatrical scenery. In 1899, Kosta Khetagurov was sent to Kherson. As he did not like the city, he asked to be moved to another city. After he was transferred to Ochakov. Here he learned that a book was published in Vladikavkaz, where his poems in the Ossetian language, entitled “Ossetian Lira”, were collected. In 1899, the poet learned about the end of his exile, so he soon returned to Stavropol. Costa then wanted to resume his job at the paper because his journalism had become more problematic and poignant.

The writer took an active part in all cultural events of local scale, was engaged in painting, worked on the poem “Hetag”. For gifted children, he dreamed of opening his own drawing school and working as an editor in the newspaper Kazbek. On the way to his dream, his plans were not destined to come true, as he was prevented by a disease that chained him to bed. He did not have enough money to live, and his health was getting worse every day, and the writer needed careful care, attention and care, so his sister took him to the village. Under her care, he lived for another 3 years; in these bad 3 years, Costa was no longer able to start the activities that he had. The poet died on April 1, 1906. His body was subsequently transported to Vladikavkaz.