Hajilar

Hajilar is a village in the Echmiadzin uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Uchkilsa (Echmiadzin, Vagharshapat) district, and currently in the Armavir province. The provincial centre is located 28 km to the northeast of the town of Serdarabad (Armavir), on the left bank of the Kasakh River, at a height of 900 m above sea level. It was marked in “The Iravan Province Comprehensive Data Book” compiled in 1590, and on the five-verst map of the Caucasus.

Until 1828, the village had been solely inhabited by Azerbaijanis. Following the Treaty of Turkmenchay, the Armenians from Maku, Khoy and Salmas provinces of Iran were settled there in 1828–1829. Along with the Armenians, the village was inhabited by 61 Azerbaijanis in 1831, 112 in 1873, 144 in 1886 and 180 Azerbaijanis in 1897. The number of the Azerbaijanis and Armenians living in the village in 1904 and 1914 is indicated together. In 1918, 248 Azerbaijanis lived in the village. The Azerbaijanis living in the village were deported from their historical and ethnic lands in 1919 through the aggression of Armenian armed forces. Following the establishment of Soviet power in the territory of present-day Armenia, seven Azerbaijanis lived there in 1922. In 1923 they were expelled from their ancestral lands again. At present, the village is inhabited only by Armenians.

The toponym was coined from the ethnonym “Hajilar” belonging to the Kangarli Turkic tribe.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated 3 January 1935, the village was renamed “Mrgastan”. According to the law “On the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia” dated 7 November 1995, it was integrated into the administrative territory of the Armavir province.

Geographical coordinates: latitude: 40°12’ N., longitude: 44°16’ E.