Khalde in Svaneti

Almost every traveller in Svaneti passes by the small village of Khalde, usually stopping here for a cup of coffee or perhaps a beer, and then moving on without knowing why there are no defence towers in Khalde and why most of the village looks like one big ruin.

Uprising of Khalde - 32 people against a Tsarist army

After Svaneti was annexed by the Russian Empire, the situation of its inhabitants became even more difficult. They had to pay so many taxes that there was hardly anything left for the family, and almost everything was taxed. The land was surveyed and they had to pay land tax, for every cow, pig, goat, dog, cat they also had to pay tax and later they also introduced extra tax for tobacco growing and distilling.

The Svans also tried to solve the complicated situation peacefully, but it did not work and they started to prepare for a big uprising.

This was in May 1875, by which time the whole of Georgia was under the Russian Empire and Tsarist troops were stationed in every town and region, where both Russian and Georgian soldiers served. For this reason, the uprising was crushed at the preparatory stage without large-scale clashes, although there were small skirmishes.  The leaders were arrested and the residents were persuaded to lay down their arms with various tricks, promises, threats, etc. The only ones who refused to surrender were killed.

The only ones who refused to surrender were the people of Khalde. In 1876, the men of the village of Khalde gathered in the church of Lagurka and swore on the icon that they would stand together until they died or reached the goal, 32 men in all.

On 20 August 1876, the Tsarist troops were already stationed near Khalde. It was a company of cavalry, a company of mountain artillery and a company of infantry, made up of soldiers from different parts of Georgia, including local Svans.

Most of the families of Khalde, women and children, were in different villages, taken to safety by relatives. The men took shelter in the defence towers, of which there were 11 in Khalde at the time.

The battle began on 21 August and lasted until 26 August, when the defenders ran out of ammunition or most of them died. On the last day, the village was already surrounded and the defenders had no chance of escaping, but they didn't want to surrender either. They came out with swords and nine of them managed to break the siege and escape.

After that, the whole village and its defensive towers were razed to the ground. The village was renamed New Ifrali and it was forbidden to live there. 

But that was not all, they were desperate to capture the nine fighters from Khalde, but despite their superior numbers this was not an easy task, so they captured family members of the insurgents and threatened to kill them if the insurgents did not surrender. 

Through this mean trick, the tsarist regime achieved its goal. The insurgents went to the governor's house in Kutaisi (according to other accounts in Lentechi), destroyed their own rifles in front of the house and began to sing the Swan song "Gaul-Gavkhe" (გაულ-გავხე).

The rebels were arrested and they wanted to hang them as soon as possible, but the society of the time prevented this and demanded a humane trial. 

The trial lasted a long time, with several poets, writers and prominent Georgian figures such as Niko Nikoladze and Akaki Tsereteli on the side of the insurgents. With their participation, the death sentence was replaced by deportation and life imprisonment, which was also very harsh.

Only two were released after several years: Chofa Chofiani and Momi Khergiani. During this time they were allowed to build and live in a house in Khalde. By 1892, there were three families living here.

One of the rebels, Momi Khergiani, returned to the village after his exile and rebuilt his house with his wife and children.

Later, Khalde regained its name and some families returned, but most of the houses remain in ruins, witnesses to a cruel and unjust, but also proud, past.

On following trip, you will visit Khalde

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