TITLE: In Exile

Molokans are a branch of Orthodox Christianity and a special Russian ethnic group, appeared by Russians in Russia in the 17th century.

Owing to the trepidation of molokans and dukhabors dispersion regarding the religious perspectives they were banished in "Molochnie vodi."

Early 1800s a huge number of outcasts were settled in Armenia. However, later it proved to be the case that there was insufficient land for everybody, and hence, it came to a decision to shift some of the Molokans from Armenia to Georgia.Consequently, they colonized in Tbilisi, initially they were populating near “Baratashvili bridge, rikhe” and afterwards they were settled on different regions of Tbilisi in Saburtalo, Sanzona and Navtlughi in soviet era and there were founded societies.

In the present day there are about 15 individuals in every group, yet they are also living in kakheti: village Ulianovka. As a matter of fact majority of them are aged individuals as their young ones have returned to Russian Federation, primarily because of financial scarcity or to the other cities in the country of Georgia for better set of opportunities.

This portrait picture sequence illustrates the preceding members of this small community in Ulianovka village, where the vast majority of the houses are void or deserted and only couple of old and young people reside there.

AUTHOR: Hossein Fardinfard (Georgia)

Iranian documentary photographer based in Tbilisi, Georgia.