You cannot surprise a regular Georgian with what we call longevity. This has always been a country of the Dghegrdzeli, the long-livers, meaning those who are eighty and over. Most of them dwell in the mountainous regions of Georgia, but not exclusively; the lowlands are not devoid of human endurance and durability either.
Long physical life is only one side of the story. The other, and most important, part is living a meaningful, creative life. I have a story at hand about a Georgian nonagenarian, ninety-six years old, a painter, Honored Worker of Art, and winner of the Iakob Gogebashvili Prize.
His beloved Sakartvelo is proud of Alexandre (Shura) Tsikhelashvili, the famous illustrator of myriad children’s books, whose works have been exhibited in every Soviet republic and in numerous foreign capitals. This young old man is, into the bargain, a born musician, masterfully playing the pipe and singing with amazing vocal brilliance. Incidentally, he even attended the Tbilisi State Conservatoire to perfect his vocal abilities.
His father was endowed with musical talent, and his mother was a wonderful embroiderer, so the boy had an excellent example to follow at home. The young painter’s artistic gift was always accompanied and strengthened by a thorough knowledge of Georgian, Greek, and Roman mythology, which he later drew upon in his creative life when he embarked on the demanding profession of a book illustrator.
Shura has long been interested in sports and continues to travel extensively as we speak, remaining a keen globetrotter. Alexandre Tsikhelashvili was born in the village of Savanisubani in Georgia’s Khashuri District. There were seven children in the family, the dream of today’s Georgia! Growing up among caring parents and loving siblings, the boy’s artistic talent revealed itself at a very early age. Sometimes, lacking a pencil, he would use a piece of coal to draw on stones and walls.
One of the most distinguished graduates of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, Alexandre Tsikhelashvili has works preserved in private collections throughout Georgia and across the world. He painted two gigantic murals in the port of Salonika, Greece, depicting Alexander the Great of Macedonia triumphantly entering the city. On top of that, the famous Georgian artist contributed to the decoration of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow.
He created an entire gallery of portraits of Georgian writers, poets, and public figures. He illustrated the works of Ilia Chavchavadze, Otia Ioseliani, masterpieces of Georgian classical literature, as well as the folk tales of many nations beyond Georgia.
The untiring artist is currently engaged in illustrating the famous Georgian epic The Knight in the Tiger’s Skin by Shota Rustaveli. His life’s work already includes thousands of paintings and graphic works, and he is now planning to create a monumental canvas depicting the heroic life of Ketevan Tsamebuli, Queen Ketevan the Martyr. He is undertaking this ambitious project at the request and by the official commission of the Queen Ketevan Society.
Carried away by yoga, Shura says he feels fit only because of this lifelong practice, which he will never abandon. He insists that he has never taken medicine or even visited a doctor. Even at his considerable age, he is both able and willing to plunge into icy water and emerge without any harm to his precious health.
Clearly optimistic and full of vigor, Tsikhelashvili adds another ingredient to the secret of his remarkable health. Exercise alone, he says, will never produce the desired results without a proper diet and a good night’s sleep. Quipping that “illness is not a wolf that suddenly rushes into our lives,” he believes that one simply needs to take good care of oneself in a timely and sensible manner. This is what he firmly believes, and he may well be right.
Yes, Shura’s is not merely longevity. It is longevity plus, filled with vigor, talent, passion, wisdom, and an endless love for life. Aren’t we fortunate to have such an example to follow?
Looking for the meaning of life? Here goes the answer. Delving into the depths of Alexandre
Tsikhelashvili’s existence, with all his artistic achievements and his inexhaustible human thirsts, hungers, and longings, one cannot help but believe that life truly does make sense.
Yes, it certainly does.
By Nugzar B. Ruhadze
