A story of one song

Pavlodar, October 17, 2009 (Khabar) - Pavlodar residents are celebrating the 135th anniversary of the birth of Yestai Berkimbayev, who is considered to be one of the lyrical poets of the 20th century.
Yestai presented his most famous song called “Kusni-Korlan”, to the woman he loved. Although over 100 years have passed since he wrote this song, it still remains as famous as ever.

For Yerbol Aitbayev, Yestai is not just an idol, since he has been collecting his works for many years.

Yerbol Aitbayev, researcher into Yestai work:
- It is important to know the history of a song. A lot of people sing his songs and maybe feel the same but only few of them know its history.

Near Maraldy Lake in 1893, Yestai met the daughter of the famous Sultan Korlygayim. The young people knew that they could never be together, since Korlygayim lived in the Altai region and Yertai was from the Pavlodar region. Although they lived far away from each other, they found possibilities to meet.

Gulsum Nazymbekkyzy, grand daughter of Korlan:
- During one such date my grandmother presented Yestai with a ring. People say that it is still kept by someone and I’d like to find it.

Kenes Tokenov, nephew of Yestai:
- During that time, young people did not have freedom of choice. Korlan was unable to disobey her father, who was against their wedding because Yestai was just a poor poet.

But Korlan had to marry another man and gave him four sons. Then her family was dispossessed and she died in 1938. Yestai also had a wife. Before his death he wrote the song entitled “Farewell”.

Kalamkas Sultangazinova:
- I believe that today, in the 21st century it is impossible to see such love. It is like the love between Romeo and Juliet, Kozy-Korpesh and Bayan-Sulu.