April 15 - the day of "Kozy Korpesh - Bayan Sulu"

April 15 is traditionally celebrated in our country as Valentine's Day. This holiday was dedicated to the heroes of the famous Kazakh epos "Kozy Korpesh-Bayan Sulu", hence it takes its name.

Since 2011, in Kazakhstan, as an alternative to the International Valentine's Day, "National Valentine's Day" is celebrated, which meets all the features of our people. The idea of celebrating Valentine's Day in the national style was proposed by the staff of the Department of Culture of Almaty on youth policy and the press service of the Almaty City Akimat.

Valentine's Day is dedicated to the love story of the heroes of the Kazakh epos Kozy Korpesh and Bayan Sulu.

There is a reason why it is called this way. After all, in the Kazakh people, this couple is a symbol of eternal love and sincere feelings. Kozy and Bayan are heroes of lyrical epics of the XIII-XIV centuries. This epos is the most ancient and the most popular in the history of Kazakh oral literature.

According to the legend, Sarybai and Karabai were close friends since childhood. Out of respect for each other they decide to marry their future children. Unfortunately, Sarybai dies during a hunt when his son was still in his mother's womb. Growing up, Kozy and Bayan truly fall in love. In time, however, Bayan's father, Sulu Karabai, breaks the vow he made to his friend. A character named Kodar prevents the two young people from reuniting and this leads to a love trio. As a result, the lovers could not be reunited. Kozy died and their love remained in people's hearts for centuries. This story is an example, a symbol of pure love and sincere feelings.

Writer Ilyas Yesemberlin says about love this way: ". amazing feeling - love! Like ice breaking through a black stone and making its way, love appears in an unknown corner of your soul and, despite the obstacles standing in the way, finds its way from one heart to another. Suddenly, out of many people, you may like only one. Who and how can explain it? It's just that you love him! No one has answered this question yet, so there's no point in asking it. Only the heart can answer it. The word obeys the mind, but here, too, it is powerless... But the mind, the heart, the feelings are all one."

Seven Lovers" poems widely spread in the Kazakh steppes are a fine example of feelings of love: Leyli - Majnun, Zhusup - Zylika, Farhad - Shyryn, Tahir - Zuhra, Arzu - Kambar, Ualik - Gafra, Uaki - Kulshay.

Author: Moldir Adamzhan

Photos: from the archives of the press services