My Tukay, "Israeli militarism" and "Lenin with a log and... Shurale": 10 pictures from "Chayan"

      The funniest thing in the April issue of the magazine "Chayan" COVER HERE-THERE INFORM A proposal has been submitted for the consideration of deputies to introduce a "just because" tax and a "what difference does it make" fine. A high-ranking official was found to have an apartment where no money or jewelry was hidden. A test for attentiveness for men has been invented: one stripe – attentive, two – somewhere distracted. Scientists have found out: the more educated a person is, the smarter their cockroaches are. A cactus that stood by the computer for ten years began to distribute Wi-Fi. The semiconductor plant has been named after Ivan Susanin. Scammers persuaded a deaf-mute citizen to transfer money to a safe account. Larisa Dolina, left without an apartment, wanders through her country houses. Doctors are concerned: today's children walk less than convicts. The Academy of Sciences has updated the list of pseudosciences, which now includes international law. GABDULLA TUKAY – 140 YEARS MY TUKAY My first encounter with the name Tukay happened when I was not yet born. My father, then a young but already talented painter, planned to paint a picture. Its plot was simple. Peasants from his homeland came to visit the sick poet. They sit in a dimly lit room around Tukay, who is lying in bed, and talk to him about something. For the figure of the poet, my mother posed when she was pregnant with me. Thus, I, yet to be born, found myself drawn into the Tukay orbit. Later, as I grew up, the name and image of Tukay fell upon me, like a May rain, as it does for any Kazan resident. Tukay Street and Tukay Square, the cinema named after him, Shamil's House, where his living conditions were improved posthumously, and the "Bulgar" hotel, where he stayed, monuments and books, paintings and performances, songs to his words. Finally, the Tukay Prize, which every notable figure in the arts dreams of. Kazan breathed Tukay… My grandmother Vasfizhamal Fazylovna Khuzakhmetova, born Akchurina, once mentioned that in her youth she was acquainted with Tukay and he visited their home. I did not believe her. It seemed so incredible: the bronze classic and my grandmother. But it turned out that she remembered him from Uralsk. A small, frail, poorly dressed former student with a squint who also avoided girls… Tukay, as far as I understood, did not make a special impression on a girl from a well-off merchant family. "There were young men who were more interesting," she admitted. For example, the idol of local youth, Kamil Mutygi, whom, in my grandmother's opinion, was never fully appreciated. Before her death, she wrote down her memories of Tukay in Arabic script in a blue student notebook. In verse. While working at "Chayan" in the late eighties, I found myself on a business trip to Leningrad. I tracked down the phone number of Lev Nikolaevich Gumilev and, gathering my courage, called him. The reward for my courage was an interesting conversation with the legendary scholar in the famous communal apartment on Moskovskaya Street. That evening, Tukay's name was mentioned. The conversation turned to the Akhmatova translations, which we are so proud of. Of course, one poetic genius, especially with a Tatar surname, translated another! And then Gumilev confessed: "Actually, most of the translations were done by me. They were published under my mother's surname because she, as a member of the Writers' Union, was paid more. And I was then, after another stint in prison, sitting without work..."

      

       And another facet of my Tukay. For us, Chayanists, he is one of us – a colleague in the humorous trade. Tukay, just like us, worked in humorous magazines. He wrote feuilletons, invented captions for drawings, edited incoming materials, argued, was sharp-tongued, loved and valued a joke. Who knows, had he lived another decade, he could very well have found himself among the organizers and regular authors of "Chayan"! Rafael KHALILULLOV (from the book "Scales under the Sign of Scorpio"). LAUGHTER THROUGH THE YEARS CARICATURES WITHOUT A THEME

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       More news about the event:

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       From scientific understanding to living tradition: the Tatar Academy of Sciences has released a directory of Tukay Prize laureates

       The Institute of Tatar Encyclopedia and Regional Studies of the Tatar Academy of Sciences has published a directory of Tukay Prize laureates for the years 1958–2026.20:54 26.04.2026 Academy of Sciences of RT - Kazan

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       In Yelabuga, the 140th anniversary of Gabdulla Tukay was celebrated in the updated square named after him

       On the birthday of the great Tatar poet, April 26, the updated square named after Gabdulla Tukay in Yelabuga turned into the main festive venue of the city.20:38 26.04.2026 Newspaper Novaya Kama - Yelabuga

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       Round dances, Tatar music, and a fair: the action "Min tatarça söyläşäm!" took place in Kazan Kremlin

       In the courtyard of the Presence Places of Kazan Kremlin today, a gala concert of the action "Min tatarça söyläşäm!" ("I speak Tatar!") was held, dedicated to the birthday of Gabdulla Tukay.20:37 26.04.2026 Business Online - Kazan

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       Minnihanov proposed to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Gabdulla Tukay at the federal level

       During the solemn ceremony held at the Tatar State Academic Theater named after Galiaskar Kamal,20:31 26.04.2026 Zainsk-inform - Zainsk

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       GTRK "Tatarstan" began airing a ten-part film about Gabdulla Tukay

       Returning to the main theme of the release – the Day of the Native Language and the 140th anniversary of Gabdulla Tukay's birth.20:22 26.04.2026 GTRK Tatarstan - Kazan

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       Address of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov on the occasion of the Day of the Native Language and the 140th anniversary of the birth of the great Tatar poet Gabdulla Tukay

       "Dear Tatarstan residents! Dear compatriots! I sincerely congratulate you on the Day of the Native Language and the significant event – the 140th anniversary of the birth of the great son of the Tatar people, the genius poet Gabdulla Tukay!20:21 26.04.2026 Ministry of Culture - Kazan

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       The laureates of the State Prize of the Republic of Tatarstan named after Gabdulla Tukay in 2026 have been determined

       On the Day of the Native Language and the 140th anniversary of the birth of the great Tatar poet Gabdulla Tukay, the awarding ceremony took place at the Tatar State Academic Theater named after Galiaskar Kamal as part of the festive concert.20:21 26.04.2026 Ministry of Culture - Kazan

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       Minnihanov proposed to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Gabdulla Tukay at the federal level

       During the solemn ceremony held at the Tatar State Academic Theater named after Galiaskar Kamal,20:10 26.04.2026 News of Zainsk - Zainsk

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       The 150th anniversary of Gabdulla Tukay is planned to be celebrated at the federal level

       A solemn ceremony dedicated to the Day of the Native Language and the 140th anniversary of the birth of the great Tatar poet Gabdulla Tukay took place at the Galiaskar Kamal Theater in Kazan.19:28 26.04.2026 Newspaper Novaya Kama - Yelabuga

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       The Kazan Circus conquered Budapest with the performance "Miras"

       The Kazan State Circus performed in Western Europe for the first time in four years – and immediately with a full house.19:28 26.04.2026 Newspaper Novaya Kama - Yelabuga

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       The Kazan Circus opened its tour in Europe with a performance about Tukay's legacy

       The shows in Budapest will last until the end of September 2026.

      The Kazan Circus presented the national Tatar fantasy performance "Miras"