Bust of Birzhan sal

Birzhan-sal Kozhagul-uly (Kozhagulov) (1834-1897 modern Birzhan sal district of Akmola region of Kazakhstan) was a Kazakh akyn, composer. He is best known for his aitys (poetic competition) with Sarah Tastanbek-kyzy.

He came from the Nurala clan of the Aksary Kerey group of the Middle Zhuz.

His most famous aitys was with Sarah Tastanbekkyzy from the Naiman tribe of the Matai clan. Birzhan became widely known at an early age as a singer with outstanding vocal abilities and masterfully accompanying himself on the dombra, but soon moved from performing to creating original musical and poetic works. Traveling around the villages, he participated in various folk festivals, in aitys. By uniting talented young people, he created a kind of nomadic theater. The people added the epithet "sal" to his name, the meaning of which approaches Western European concepts: the bard, the joker.

The last years of Birzhan-sal's life were overshadowed by inter-family strife, into which he was dragged against his will. Persecution and the resulting illness hastened his demise.

The bust of Birzhan-sal was installed in 1994. The height is 2.7m. Author V.G.Gorokhvodatsky.