The History of the Khachatryan Lineage

Among the prominent families established in Rind, the history of the Khachatryan lineage is directly intertwined with the fateful events of early 20th-century Armenian history and the Armenian Genocide.

The ancestors of the Khachatryans lived for centuries in the village of Hurtuk (Vortok), located in the Khoshab sub-district of the Van Vilayet in Western Armenia. This was a place known for its rich historical past; it housed the St. George (Surb Gevorg) Church, operated a school, and sat in the shadow of the towering Zernak (Dzernak) Fortress. The residents of Hurtuk were renowned for their bravery and, starting from the late 19th century, actively participated in the self-defense battles of Van.

The earliest mentioned forefather of the lineage is Mkhitar. His son, Khachatur, after whom the lineage was later named Khachatryan, served as the village head (mayor) of Hurtuk. During the days of the Great Crime (Medz Yeghern) in 1915, Khachatur’s son, Hakob, along with his brothers and many Armenians from the district, was forced to leave his ancestral home and embark on the path of exile. At the time of the migration, Hakob’s son, Azat, was only 8 or 9 years old.

The caravan of refugees, passing through countless hardships, reached the Margara Bridge and crossed into Eastern Armenia. Their first stop was the area adjacent to the Red Bridge (Karmir Kamurj) in Yerevan, where they lived for about a year. From there, the family, accustomed to agriculture and animal husbandry, moved to the Vardenis region. Many families of this lineage still reside in the village of Khachaghbyur in Vardenis today. In the spring of 1918, Hakob and his sons moved from Vardenis to the village of Aghavnadzor. At that time, Aghavnadzor had welcomed around 50 families who had survived the Genocide, many of whom resettled elsewhere after staying for 2–3 years. In August 1949, Azat married and moved to the village of Rind.

Today, two families of the Khachatryan clan reside in Rind. Khachik Khachatryan, son of Azat, has for decades contributed professionally to the Rind Secondary School, first as a mathematics teacher and later as a specialist in preliminary military training. He is the author and co-author of several books, holds patented inventions, and has been awarded the “Movses Khorenatsi” medal.

Thus, the history of the Khachatryans, which began in the distant village of Hurtuk in Van, continues in Rind after passing through many trials, becoming an inseparable part of the village’s collective historical chronicle.