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0 0 Km r 0 0 i 7 0 0 0 21 1 If you are heading from to Sno Valley through the newly built dirt 4WD cars road or if Chokhi Village you are going to hike through Bakurkhevi Valley and the mountain pass to the village of Chokhi Village is the natural center of the upper part of Gudamakari Valley. From the village we Barisakho in , consider the option to stay for a day in the upper part of Gudamakari enjoyed views of peaks of Shirimi Mountain (3201 m) above Boseli Valley as well as the Eastern Valley, and discover this so far neglected, yet unique region of East Georgian Mountains. It´s rich Chaukhi (3644 m) above main Black Valley. in culture and cultic traditions, as well as in the beauties of nature. In Chokhi, the famous Georgian writer and filmmaker. Goderdzi Chokheli (1954-2007) was born. The people we met in route were probably descendants of at least one of the heroes of his short Gudamakari Valley is situated along the 30 km long stream of Shavi Aragvi (Black Aragvi) River, stories, full of sorrow and sensitivity to the harsh nature and people striving for freedom. flowing from the bottom of Chaukhi Mountain of range to reach the Tetri Aragvi (White Aragvi) near Pasanauri. Shavi Aragvi gained its name due to its grey-coloured Pirimze-Pudzis Angelozi (vill. Chokhi) gravel, that washed away from the slopes of the upper part of the valley near Bulsachiri. The main shrine of Gudamakari Valley is situated in the lower part of Chokhi village, on the Gudamakari constitutes a particular small mountainous region, distinctive from the nearby bottom of the slope, just on the further side of small meadow-plain above the bridge over Black regions of , , Khevsureti and . From 2018 it should become a part of the Aragvi. The shrine includes a Christian church as well as several buildings typical of local syncretic newly established Aragvi Protected Landscape. religion. The inhabitants of Gudamakari are mentioned already by ancient Georgian chronicles as Pirimze – Pudzis Angelozi (literally, “The Sun-Mouthed Angel of House Foundations“) is one of participants of the events, connected with Christianization of Eastern Georgia/Iberia in 4th the deities in the pantheon of syncretic religion, preserved in Eastern Georgian Mountains. In its century, yet the locals preserved their ancient religous traditions. In the Middle Ages, Christian aspect, it´s regarded as one of 363 hypostasis of St. George. Nevertheless, in his image Gudamakari was in the sphere of influence of Aragvi Dukes (Eristavi-s). The local mountaineers clearly prevail the traits of a pre-Christian deified hero, so called ghvtisshvili („Son of God“), where cow-herders as well as shepherds, which resembles the traditions of more distant fighter with demons (devi-s). In its character, there are two images united – that of the Sun Ray region. (Pirimze) and the Soil-Earth (Pudzis Angelozi). Gudamakari is composed of 22 villages, though the number of inhabitants has decreased to On August 28th, the main festival of worship takes place where cattle sacrifices and feasting about 700 people in the present day. The administrative center of the valley is Kitokhi. occurs, this is known as Mariamoba (i.e. the feast of Dormition of the Mother of God). The shrine has its counterpart, another Pudzis Angelozi sacred place in Khevusretian village of GUDAMAKARI TRAIL Ukanakho, from where the main Gudamakarian families of Bekauri and Tsiklauri are believed to (Chokhi – Boseli – Saghvtomaghali – Bulsachiri – Chokhi) originate. Our route is a circle starting and ending near the Pirimze-Pudzis Angelozi shrine in Chokhi Village. Pirimze-Pudzis Angelozi found out, that the demons (devis) were living on the site of the present- At first we should cross the river through a bridge and follow the path along a valley on our left day shrine. He set out for the campaign to fight them. Iaksari and Kopala [other “Son of Gods“] side (Boseli Valley). We walked by the building, which used to serve as a local hydro power plant decided to assist Pudzis Angelozi. When they arrived on the hill above the demons dwelling, he and then passed a ruined small water mill. The path led us on the right bank of the stream. Under said to his fellows, “At first, I shall dare to go down the hill and if only I will be in a trouble you shall rush to help me.“ Pudzis Angelozi ran down the hill and exterminated all the demons alone. the village of Boseli we crossed the river by wading and walk uphill to reach the ruins of Boseli Once upon a time, a man from the village of Akho lost his cow. When he finally found her, he fortress. The boulder round walls of the Medieval tower are preserved up to 2 m. From there the noticed that the cow gave birth to a calf. Although the calf should have been very light, the cow narrow path will led us through the wood, where we should cope with quite many fallen trees. herder was not able to lift it and bring it back home. The calf stubbornly stayed at the place Afterwards, we proceeded through alpine meadows, crossing several streams, one of them with a refusing even to follow the cow. The village elders realized that the deity apparently resided on little waterfall. Finally we hiked up the steep acscent to the Saghvtomaghali ridge with a small the place where the calf stayed. It was decided to dedicate the calf to the deity and to establish sanctuary, from where we enjoyed panoramic views of the Greater Caucasus ranges. Thereafter there a shrine. the track led us down the hill to Bulsachiri Valley, where we crossed by the small river by wading and proceed to the village of Bulsachiri. If we were not under time pressure, we would have had a Pay attention to the ash trees grove around the complex of the shrine. The ash trees were small rest in the half-abandoned village, where we could acquire superb milk products from local venerated as one of the main manifestation of the world tree, connecting the heavens, the terrestrial world and, through it´s roots, the underworld. herds. The historically main road connecting South to North Caucasus led through the village to Pay attention to the proper behavior in the environs of the shrine, which is common for all East Gudamakari Pass and to Sno Valley. From Bulsachiri we followed the main dirt road down the Black Aragvi, passing several times the stream (through pedestrian bridges and through fords), Georgian sacred places. Women are not allowed to enter the precincts of the shrine. The men are eventually reaching the village of Chokhi. permitted to enter the yard of the shrine and to light there a candle, but even for them it´s prohibited to touch the sacred structures or to enter the interior.

Saghvtomaghali Shrine (literally “Shrine of Divine Heights”) The main mountain shrine of Gudamakari Valley is a small mound of stones on the top of the

ridge (2586 m). A festival is held here on 100th day after Easter.