Oghruja

Oghruja or Ayrija was a village in the territory of the Goycha area (mahal) of the Iravan khanate, later in the former Basarkechar (Vardenis) district, and present-day Gegharkunik province. It was located near the village of Garaiman. The name of the village of Oghruja was noted as “Aghrija” in I. Shopen’s “The List of the Abolished Villages of the Goycha Area (mahal)”. Z. Gorgodian mentioned the name of the village of “Oghruja” as “Aghrija” among the abolished villages in the Goycha area (mahal). In fact, the local inhabitants pronounced the name of the village as “Ayrija”. The village was devastated after the Russo-Iranian war in 1826- 1828. At present, it lies in ruins.

The toponym was coined on the basis of the name of the Oghur Turks of the Oghuz tribe.