Today is the day of the traditional pilgrimage to the tekke of Ballenja, Martanesh. The Ballëm Sultan tekke is located in the meadows of Ballenjë near the holy cave, part of the Martanesh administrative unit, Bulqiza Municipality. It was founded in the past, in the form of a tower in 1795 (by the people of Martanesh, Kostenja, Gryka e Madhe with the help of the Pasha of Shkodra), in the service of the holy place of Ballëm Sultan (the second pillar of Bektashism), located on the mountain opposite the tekke. According to legend, the Ballenja cave must have been very early. There are interesting legends. As a complete religious institution in 1870, the tekke of Ballëm Sultan was erected, where the tower of Mahmud Pasha was, under the direction of father Hysen Malit. The tekke was in the opposite of the cave of Ballem Sultan, Good Place, in Ballenja. For this the song is sung: “It shines like a star of light / At the foot of this mountain, / The tekke you raised, / father Hysen Mountain.”
It was burned for the first time by Serbs in the Balkan wars and secondly by Italians in 1942. The tekke was partially rebuilt in 1955. This tekke was related to the tekke in the village of Peshk, founded by father Jashari (they were a joint institution ), about an hour and a half away from there. Both have played an important patriotic role in learning the Albanian language. In the vicinity of the tekke, is the sacred cave which has underground passages in different directions. The entrance is composed of a portico with arches and domes characteristic of the Bektashi tradition. It is interesting that over the years, the faithful of the Good Land, who during the winter have given their lives to the dervishes: dervishes Hasani, the believer Beqir Zhabolli, the dervishes of father Jashari, have served here with devotion. The clergy continued: father Mustafa Xhani (1939-1944), father Hasim Shehaj, dervish Ibrahim Halil Gjoni, dervish Et’hem Mataj, until 1967. It was closed in 1967 by the monist state of the time. The tower was rebuilt, in its early foundations and completed in 1999. Later new complexes, tekkes and other facilities were built by father Hysni Shehu. On June 29 of each year a pilgrimage is organized to Ballëm Sultan. The first initiator of this pilgrimage is the intellectual, Agim Bicaku, a date approved by the former Grandfather, the unforgettable Dede Reshat Bardhi, in 2003. This tekke has been declared a cultural monument of I category by the Ministry of Culture with Order no. 388 dated June 16.2017, “Good Place Ballëm Sultan (Guva), near the Old Tekke” its protected area. Father Hysni Shehu has been leading the tekke for years and today Skënder Gjoni is the secretary. The tekke is maintained and is popular in the Martanesh and Bulqiza area.
