Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Velî Araştırma Dergisi (Jun 2018)
BALKANLAR’DA MERKEZİ BİR TEKKE: HARABATİ BABA BEKTAŞİ TEKKESİ [A CENTRAL TEKKE IN BALKANS: HARABATİ BABA BEKTASHI TEKKE]
Abstract
The Turkification/Islamization of Balkanic region took place through Turkish dervishes and tribes/ communities associated with them. The sheikhs and dervishes settled in various parts of this region and tried to convey the massage of Islam through the sects which they belonged to. For this purpose, they established several institutions such as Islamic monasteries, tekke, zawiya, and asitane. One of these organizations is Harabati Baba Bektashi tekke located in Kalkadelen province of Macedonia. It is known that the tekke was established by Sersem Ali Baba in the second half of the XVIth century. The reason for the association of the tekke with Harabati Baba is the revitalization of tekke with the new constructions in the time of Harabati Baba who was the second founder of the tekke. The tekkes and zawiyas, along with being religious institutions, won the hearts of the local communities by offering social, cultural and artistic services. Without making any distinction on the basis of race and religion, every guest had the right of accommodation in the tekke for three days. The tekke had been closed for nearly seventy years because of various reasons such as the outbreak of wars and shifting to communist regime, however, some of the facilities were put into service again in 2006 owing to the resistance of Bektashis of Kalkaden, Gostivar, and Kırçova in Meydan Evi. This study aims to explain the function, the historical importance of the Harabati Baba Bektashi tekke as well as the changes it has been through.
