#KHNIERI & #MSHVENIERI
NANULI DZNELADZE
by Eleonora Tsiteladze
Grandmothers are the most important people in the Georgian families — they create that special family atmosphere, bring up responsibility and care for others in children and definitely cook the most delicious dishes. If you have a grandmother, it means you still can touch your childhood. So pleasing, amusing and spoiling your grandmothers is the best you can do for them.
We at IERI respect our roots and that’s why we have launched a new rubric called #khnieri & #mshvenieri — elderly&beautiful or beautiful in years. Devoting it to ladies that have raised us and those who are a huge inspiration and amazing example of elegance, grace and unconditional love.
The first lady, we have chosen to tell you about, is Nanuli Dzneladz— the grandmother of our SM-manager Nora Tsiteladze. Nanuli is 81. She was born and raised in Batumi in the Bartskhan district. For more than 50 years she sewed dresses for local girls, including wedding gowns, and embroidered tablecloths on a small and old sewing machine. She is the sweetest person you would ever meet.
This is what Nora says about her grandma:
“The house of my grandparents — Nanuli and Enveri, was constantly packed withkids. Considering the fact that Nanuli has 6 children, it is not hard to guess the quantity of the relatives and cousins that went through the household. There were times when up to 20-25 kids were at the house at the same time. My Grandfather had to bring food in huge packs from the market.
Nanuli would teach little girls how to sew. And kept a huge garden with roosters and chickens until recent years.
I can state the endless positivity of my grandma, but if I have to say it in a few words it would be exceptional acceptance and forgiveness. She never raises her voice and is an ultimate peacemaker, calming and cradling everyone around. Despite our whole family being too emotional, she remains calm under any circumstances. She is a type of a person that loves everyone unconditionally and wishes everyone well.
And have you seen her hands? Her hard-working and delicate hands. I remember watching her flipping a book and thinking to myself that any ring on her fingers would seem like a priceless treasure. She always makes fun of me when I call her beautiful, but I can admire her for hours.
Behind this beautiful fragile mask there is a real soldier who is fighting with everyday life and some health issues. There is no doubt that she beats everything, because I believe a woman who has raised more than two dozen kids is capable of everything. And even beyond that.
I’ve always been fascinated by her working process. She was sewing on the old machine and it reminded me of a musician playing a thin and delicate instrument — smoothly, airy and deliriously. She would stop, look at me, grin slightly and continue.
She definitely has no idea of how great she is. She always cries when I leave for a long time and when I say “We will see each other soon”, she shrugs, but tears fall on her cheeks.
Coat and earrings — Liya, glasses and bag— George Keburia
Fairy.
A real fairy.
I have no other words to describe my dearest grandma."
Edited and translated by Salome Jakeli
