Bread with zhengyal – longing and means of livelihood

The sweet smell of chopped fresh vegetables can be felt in the room along with the roaring of the stove. Small balls of dough multiply quickly due to the flexible movements of Mrs. Margarita’s hand and roll and line up in the corner of the table, then, shaken by the force of the rolling pin, they embrace the green mass and touch the hot surface of the oven, spreading the appetizing aroma of bread all around.

             For 2 years, Mrs. Margarita’s large family has been earning mainly selling jengyal bread. Many people have tasted it in Sisian and become its regular customers.

Hasratians settled here on November 10, 2022 when they were finally convinced that the war had taken away their home, their years of suffering and their dreams for the future…

             Bread with zhengyal is like a reborn longing that turns back the wheel of time and space every time, and Mrs. Margarita mentally reaches Kashatagh region, Tsaghkaberd village. She moved here with her husband from Goris in 1997, immediately after marriage. They overcame all difficulties, had 5 children… They built two houses, had their own well-established farm (they had about 30 large and 10 small cattle), engaged in beekeeping and farming. Her husband was a veterinarian, she was a librarian.

Of course, it’s hard when you lose what you created, but, thank God, my children are fine, at least it gives me strength and hope to live. Let’s break up, what should we do? If we are broken, our children will also be broken. We also live on the success of their studies”. Only taste and smell are not important – the appearance should also be beautiful. Sona, Arman and Ellen also started working. Arman heats up the stove from time to time. Sona and Ellen make sure that the bread doesn’t burn, they offer to taste.

 She is a permanent student of Sisian Adult Education Center, participated in needlework and computer courses, and now she is studying English. Also completed the courses organized by the Sisian branch of the Agrarian University. She says that there is something to learn at every age, there will be a place to apply…

The most important thing is peace. Only peace… Let there be shortages, let us not have a home, let us be hungry, but let there be peace. The rest is secondary. You will create everything. Armenians are creative species…”

Full text in Armenian