Part of the article written by Haroutiun Hekimian, later Mateos Kahana, published in the Nayiri Weekly Newspaper, ref: 25th year, No.19-20, 30th Sept. 1980, subtitled: "Soghomon's childhood in Kotahya and his school days." It is a literal translation from Armenian of the part that Zmroukht (Karakashian) Tashjian does not accept as reality.

Haroutiun Hekimian wrote his article saying that Soghomon himself told him.
"First of all, he told me that he was 12 to 13 years old and that he did not have a mother or a father. His mother, from Bursa, dead not long after his birth; his father Kevork Soghomonian, originally from Kotahia, a shoemaker's worker, also dead from his heavy drinking. In a poor and pitiful condition he was then 7 or 8 years old deprived of his mother and father, nobody to look a neglected orphan. The only one in Kotahia who cared for him, was an aunt named Kuline` Karaoghlanian (her maiden name) who not only was a widow with a very young son, but also unfortunate enough to lose her eyesight.
When eight years old, abandoned from all human eyes, from all cherishment, deprived from all care, he was left to his bad fortune. During daytime going to and from his school's flower garden, where learning from a turkish speaking teacher only to read and write, starts to sing anthems at church; and on Sundays whatever he learned by ear used to sing outdoors. Soghomon one day plays in the street until dark. Tired from playing he enters his blind aunt's house, eats whatever he finds from dry bread and lies down in a seperate place on the mattress which was always there for him on the floor. Sometimes it happened that after school, he was so tired from playing in the street forgetting even his hunger, and close to where he played, under an outdoor roof he slept till daybreak his body shrunk into a round mass. People said that the community's abandoned orphan's sponsor should be the council. If this state of abandonment continues, he could be in danger of the turkish language. In order for this not to happen it was imperative for the council to find a way of liberation towards this orphan. When people complained, the council moved and him to Etchmiadzin.

Response from my mother, Zmroukht

"Yes Sebouh, it is very probable that Haroutiun Hekimian was a friend of Soghomon's in his childhood, but this article is incorrect, and above all it states that Soghomon himself supplied him with all the information.

Haroutiun Hekimian, who afterwards was ordained as Mateos Kahana, God Rest His Soul, has written in his diary without knowing the facts, perhaps by gathering from other articles, such as in the book called 'Anlreli Zankagadoun' written in poetry style about Komidas Vartabed with exaggerated incorrect descriptions and anomalies, as if Soghomon was a lonely orphan, singing door to door for his daily dry piece of bread etc. This way one writer taking from another, the story of Komidas underwent a complete distortion."

Soghomon during his childhood and until his departure to St. Etchmiadzin, was never left outdoors, nor did he go from door to door for his daily dry piece of bread. Soghomon was brought up among rich and cherishing hands. I do not understand and often wonder, why the biography of such a talented priest is misrepresented by such and such stories, written without the facts being verified."

Comments on Hekimian's article vs My Mother's Response:

1 - In the above article the author, either deliberately or unintentionally, does not mention the truth about Komidas Vartabed's family members.
 
2 - Soghomon had an aunt and a second mother called Zmroukht, an uncle called Haroutiun Soghomonian, who adopted and looked after him immediately after his parent's death. Soghomon recognized Haroutiun as his father and Zmroukht as his mother.

3 - Soghomon had a sister called Marig with whom he was brought up under the same roof. They were "milk brother & sister" breastfed from Marig's mother Zmroukht, my great grandmother.

4 - Soghomon's father Kevork did not die of heavy drinking but of a broken heart after his dear wife's death.

5 - It was not necessary for the people to complain to let the Council be aware of Soghomon as Hekimian states. Haroutiun was himself a Council member in Kotahia.

How come a child, with such family members and social stance, be described as "community's abandoned child" and how credible and dependable could Hekimian's article be.

Sebouh Zareh Tashjian
Sydney - Australia


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