Görogly

Görogly is the paramount hero of Turkmen oral epic, protagonist of a vast cycle of dastans sung by bagshy at weddings and festivals and inscribed by UNESCO as a masterpiece of intangible heritage. Miraculously born to his dying mother within her tomb, he grows up under his grandfather Jygalybek, rears the wondrous horse Gyrat, and founds the free mountain stronghold of Çandybil, from which he wages war against tyrants and champions the oppressed. He weds the fairy-maiden Aga Ýunus and, being childless, adopts the youth Öwez. The Turkmen tradition frames him as an idealized embodiment of courage, generosity, and just rule.

Domains

• heroism
• justice

Powers

• champion the oppressed
• ride the winged steed Gyrat

Epithets

• Görogly beg — Lord GöroglyUNESCO, 'Görogly epic art', 2015. (secondary)

Relations

• spouse: Aga ÝunusGörogly weds the peri Aga Ýunus, whose counsel he always heeds.Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'Köroğlu ii. Performance Aspects', 2009. (secondary)
• child: ÖwezChildless, the hero adopts the youth Öwez, who becomes the jewel of his warband.Reichl, Karl. Turkic Oral Epic Poetry, 1992, p. 322. (secondary)

Sources

• Görogly is the central hero of the Turkmen national epic, a dastan of more than two hundred songs performed by bagshy.: UNESCO, 'Görogly epic art', Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 2015. (secondary); Reichl, Karl. Turkic Oral Epic Poetry, 1992, pp. 318-333. (secondary)
• The hero is born to his mother inside her grave, giving rise to the popular etymology 'son of the grave'.: Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'Köroğlu ii. Performance Aspects', 2009. (secondary)