The world map placed at the entrance of Machanents Guest House in Etchmiadzin bears colorful pins, one of which rock legend, Deep Purple lead singer Ian Gillan stuck in a spot in the UK on June 8, 2019.

 

In conclusion of the visit marking the 30th anniversary of Rock Aid Armenia charitable project, Gillan and the other guests called at Machanents Tourism and Art social enterprise to take a tour in the Machanents Guest House and learn about its history.

At the entrance, a Machanents staffer tells the guests the most amusing story of the center: it was named after the grandfather of the founder, who was generous with kisses (“mach-pach” means “kiss” in their native Khoy dialect). Everyone has a good laugh before entering the center, so the positive vibe is secured in the very beginning.

 

The museum in the center is decorated in a Parajanov style with Armenian clothing “taraz”, carpets, antiquities from Western and Eastern Armenia, musical instruments…

The house hosts art and cuisine schools and an innovation center. Over 400 students attend the courses annually. They are free for vulnerable groups, the guide stresses, and some students work at the center after graduating.

 

At the innovation center Ian Gillan notices a 3D printer and the chess set printed on it, and then spends a few minutes watching the boys playing chess with the regular wooden figures.

Afterwards we head for a small room with a tonir oven (Armenian mud oven – Mediamax), where two women are baking lavash (Armenian flat bread – Mediamax).

For several minutes Gillan just watches them, and then he gets down on his knees and rolls out the dough with the help from the two women. Later, we make warm cheese rolls with the lavash they baked.

 

We visit the Machanents International Art Gallery as well, which displays works by participants of an international symposium. Ian Gillan takes a look at every exhibit and stops by the painting entitled “Music”. It was painted on wood by Russian artists Pavel Nikolayev and Irina Maksakova in 2017. Gillan decides to buy the painting and rejects the discount that the gallery provides for visitors.

 

The tour proceeds to the pottery class, where the guests and Gillan himself try to make tableware.

According to the singer, this is the second time he tries pottery. He describes the first attempt as a disaster, but with the help of Machanents staffers he makes a decent beer mug. It still has to be kiln dried, but the staffers take Gillan’s address and promise to post the mug when it’s ready.

 

In the end we still our hunger with the fish by “chef” Gillan.

 

He prepared it in one of the solar cookers that Machanents Guest House installed recently. The devices catch direct sunlight with mirrors and use it to cook the food at 700 degrees. The process is environmentally safe and takes mere minutes.

 

These particular cookers were invented by Armenian academician Paris Herouni and installed at Machanents by co-authors of Armenian Heliofication Project Vahan Hamazaspyan and Grigor Mnatsakanyan.

 

The rooms and recreational activities at Machanents Guest House are impressive, and the guests that arrived with Ian Gillan and Jon Dee say they have not seen the likes of it in their home countries. Similar centers might exist, but they haven’t heard of them. It is not a surprise: just a few people in Armenia know about the Machanents House.

 

Legends like Gillan do not visit Machanents every day, so the hosts’ excitement is understandable. Founder of Machanents Tourism and Art Grigor Machanents Babakhanyan suggests Gillan takes any of the displayed paintings as a gift. Accidentally, Mr. and Mrs. Gillan pick Grigor’s self-portrait. After the lunch Grigor’s daughter Arpine Babakhanyan, who works as the president of the social enterprise, asks if she can perform a song for Gillan.

 

In addition to the world map at the entrance, Ian Gillan leaves a trace in the Impressions’ Book as well. This is his note:

“To everyone at Machanents, who has been so kind and generous on this visit. I will treasure the memories forever.

I love and respect the ethos of your wonderful establishment full of love and creativity.

Many thanks and best wishes to you all,

Ian Gillan.”

Article and photos by Amalie Khachatryan