Kobalia, Alio. Violets of Agotana (Agotanash ia-ia), 2023. In Megrelian.

ქობალია ა.
აგოთანაშ ია-ია : [ლექსები მეგრულ ენაზე]. / რედაქტორები: ზვიად კვარაცხელია, ნანა ქობალია, ნონა ქობალია; გარეკანის დიზაინი თეონა ჭანიშვილი.
თბილისი : ინტელექტი, 2023.
96 გვ. ; 19 სმ. რბილი ყდა.
***
Kobalia, Alio.
Violets of Agotana: [Poems in the Megrelian language]. / Editors: Zviad Kvaratskhelia, Nana Kobalia, Nona Kobalia; Cover design by Theona Chanishvili.
Tbilisi : Intelekti, 2023.
96 pp. ; 19 cm. Paperback. In Megrelian.

This 2023 collection, Violets of Agotana, represents a poignant and vital contribution to the preservation of Megrelian lyrical heritage, published by the esteemed Intelekti house in Tbilisi. Alio Kobalia, a master of the Mingrelian idiom, crafts a poetic landscape that is both deeply rooted in the soil of Western Georgia and universally resonant in its emotional depth. The title itself evokes the ephemeral beauty of the Samegrelo region, utilizing the violet as a central metaphor for the delicate resilience of local traditions and language. Under the editorial care of Zviad Kvaratskhelia along with Nana and Nona Kobalia, the volume ensures linguistic precision while celebrating the rhythmic and tonal nuances unique to Megrelian verse. The text provides a deep dive into the internal logic of Kartvelian minority languages, including the arrangement of nature-based metaphors, the phonology of Megrelian rhyme, and the preservation of ancestral memory through modern poetic forms.
The physical edition is characterized by its elegant contemporary aesthetic, featuring a cover design by Theona Chanishvili that reflects the modern revival of Mingrelian literature. At 96 pages, the book serves as a compact yet powerful primary source for linguists, folklorists, and lovers of poetry who seek to explore the diverse literary voices of Georgia. Released in a 19 cm paperback format, it is designed for a new generation of readers, bridging the gap between historical linguistic preservation and current artistic expression. For collectors of Kartvelology and modern Georgian imprints, this 2023 volume stands as a definitive artifact of the ongoing cultural renaissance in Samegrelo and a testament to the enduring musicality of the Megrelian tongue, as spoken and written by Alio Kobalia.