The Albanian Bektashian Sect and Mount Tomerit

Having often talked to an Albanian Bektashi friend in Greece about the liberal Bektashian Sect, I thought it might be useful to find a few links to provide more background information:

See http://www.olsijazexhi.com/bektashi.pdf

and Wikipedia,  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bektashi_Order


"Among the most famous followers of Bektashi Sufism in the 19th century Balkans were Ali Pasha and Naim Frasheri." (Wikipedia)


My friend is often encouraging me to visit the great Bektashi festival that takes place on Mount Tomor (Byron's Mount Tomerit, Childe Harold, II, 55), towards the end of August (August 22, or from 19-24). I'm tempted to go, but you have to hire a tent to sleep in and it's customary to take along your own live lamb to slaughter on the spot (along with about ten thousand others).


YouTube (Albanian)

Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage (II, 55)

"The sun had sunk behind vast Tomerit, 

And Laos wide and fierce came roaring by; 

The shades of wonted night were gathering yet, 

When, down the steep banks winding warily, 

Childe Harold saw, like meteors in the sky, 

The glittering minarets of Tepalen, 

Whose walls o'erlook the stream; and drawing nigh,

He heard the busy hum of warrior-men 

Swelling the breeze that sigh'd along the lengthening glen. 

Further Byron reference