Tiflis Governorate
Aghayan was born in Bolnisi village (also known as Bolnis-Khachen), Tiflis Governorate (now Georgia). He received his early education in Bolnisi, and at the age of thirteen he entered to the Nersisyan School in Tiflis. He left the school after one year because of his family's financial problems. Aghayan traveled between Tiflis, Moscow and Saint-Petersburg. In Moscow he cooperated with "Hyusisapayl" journal of Stepanos Nazarian, also worked as typesetter.