Constantineoba Holiday in Georgia

There are many different holidays in Georgia: religious, secular, international and national. Constantineoba is one of the unique Georgian festivals. In this article you will learn full information about this special day, in honor of whom festive events are organized and why this holiday is so important for the Georgian people.

History of origin

Georgians are very sensitive to the preservation of the memory and heritage of their ancestors. A variety of events can be recognized by the people as significant and, as a result, declared holiday dates.

And so it turned out with Constantineob. This day is dedicated to the memory of the great Georgian writer Konstantin Gamsakhurdia. He made a huge contribution to the development of the country, translated the Divine Comedy into Georgian and wrote several novels.

The novelist was against the Communists, but managed to survive the repressions of the Soviet Union. His son later became the first president of Georgia and carried out many useful reforms for the country.

After the death of the novelist, he was buried in the park of the Kolkhskaya Tower, in his mansion, and not in Mtatsminda, where all important public figures are buried. This is due to the fact that he was categorically against burial next to the Communists.

How Constantineoba is carried out

On May 15, since 1989, residents of the country gather in the writer's homeland in the city of Abasha. The museum, which used to be the home of K.Gamsakhurdia, hosts celebrations. All writers, poets and other figures of the country arrange memorable readings, a walk around the area and an evening of poetry.

Horse racing is considered the main event for this holiday. A special name has been invented for this entertainment – marula. This is a smooth 10 km race through the adjacent territories to the estate where the writer lived. In general, Georgia decided to restore equestrian sports and their ancient competitions:

• isindi – throwing darts from a horse,
• tshenburti – polo on horseback,
• kabahi – archery of riders.

Every year more and more people gather for the celebration of Konstantineob. The government has set a clear goal – to revive long-standing traditions, educate young people and attract them to participate in the holiday.