Avar language in the context of "Hadji Murad"

The Avars (/ˈævɑːrz/), also known as Maharuls' (Avar: магӀарулал, romanized: maⱨarulal, lit. 'mountaineers'), are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group. The Avars are the largest of several ethnic groups living in the Russian republic of Dagestan. The Avars reside in the North Caucasus between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Alongside other ethnic groups in the North Caucasus region, the Avars live in ancient villages located approximately 2,000 meters above sea level. The Avar language spoken by the Caucasian Avars belongs to the family of Northeast Caucasian languages. Sunni Islam has been the prevailing religion of the Avars since the 14th century.

43°00′34″N 46°49′40″E / 43.00944°N 46.82778°E / 43.00944; 46.82778

The Sulak Canyon (Avar: Сулахъ кӏкIал, Russian: Сулакский каньон) is a steep-sided deepest canyon in Europe carved by the Sulak River in Dagestan, Russia. The Sulak Canyon is 53 kilometres (33 mi) long, and attains a depth of over a mile (1,920 meters or 6,300 feet). It is 63 meters deeper than the Grand Canyon in the US and 620 meters deeper than the Tara River Canyon in Balkans.

Kizlyar (Russian: Кизля́р; Avar: Гъизляр; Kumyk: Къызлар, Qızlar) is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located on the border with the Chechen Republic in the delta of the Terek River 221 kilometers (137 mi) northwest of Makhachkala, the capital of the republic. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 48,984.

Kaspiysk (Russian: Каспи́йск; Lezgin: Каспи [kaspi:]; Lak: Ккасппи; Avar: Каспиялъухъ) is a city in Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea, 18 kilometers (11 mi) southeast of Makhachkala. The 2010 Russian census recorded the city as being the fourth-largest in Dagestan. It is a working-class satellite city to Makhachkala.

Buynaksk (Russian: Буйнакск; Avar: Шура, romanized: Şura; Kumyk: Темирхан-Шура, romanized: Temirxan-Şura; Lak: ЩурахӀи, romanized: Schurahi) is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located at the foothills of the Greater Caucasus on the Shura-Ozen River, 40 kilometers (25 mi) southwest of the republic's capital Makhachkala. Population: 62,623 (2010 census); 61,437 (2002 census); 56,783 (1989 Soviet census); 40,000 (1970).

Rasul Gamzatovich Gamzatov (Avar: ХӀамзатазул Расул ХӀамзатил вас, romanized: Ħamzatazul Rasul Ħamzatil vas, IPA: [ħamzatil rasul]; Russian: Расу́л Гамза́тович Гамза́тов, IPA: [rɐˈsul ɡɐmˈzatəvʲɪtɕ ɡɐmˈzatəf] ; 8 September 1923 – 3 November 2003) was a Soviet and Russian poet who wrote in Avar. Among his poems was Zhuravli, which became a well-known Soviet song.

42°23′12″N 46°57′42″E / 42.38667°N 46.96167°E / 42.38667; 46.96167

Gunib (Avar: Гъуниб), also spelled Ghunib, is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative center of Ghunib District of the Republic of Daghestan. Population: 2,406 (2002 census); 2,405 (1989 Soviet census). After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the population of Gunib went into decline. Only in 2014 did it reach its Soviet-era population again.

Ghāzī Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿil al-Gimrāwī al-Dāghistānī (Arabic: غازي محمد ابن إسماعيل الڮمراوي الداغستاني; Avar: ГъазимухIамад; c. 1790 – 29 October [O.S. 17 October] 1832), called Kazi-Mulla (Кази-Мулла) or Kazi-Magoma (Кази-Магома) in Russian sources, was a Dagestani religious and political leader who served as the first imam (religious, political, and military leader) of Dagestan and Chechnya from 1828 to 1832. He led armed resistance against Russian expansion into the Caucasus until his death in battle in 1832.

After studying under several notable teachers, Ghazi Muhammad joined the Naqshbandi Sufi order and became a reputed Islamic scholar. He promoted adherence to sharia over customary law (adat), attracting many followers but often clashing with local secular and religious leaders. He initially advocated for passive resistance to Russian expansion, but further Russian encroachment in 1829, or the refusal of local leaders to accept his demands to adopt sharia, caused him to change his position. He was proclaimed Imam in late 1829 and declared a holy war (called ghazavat) against the Russians in 1830. At the peak of his power in 1831, he ruled over most of Chechnya and Dagestan. After a number of military setbacks in late 1831 and 1832, Ghazi Muhammad lost most of his support and was killed in a last stand against a Russian force in his native village of Gimry in October 1832. He was immediately succeeded by one of his followers, Hamzat Bek. The imamate founded by Ghazi Muhammad continued fighting against the Russians and their local allies under his successors until its final defeat in 1859.