Today, on October 4, 2021, is celebrated the 131st anniversary of the tekke of Father Ali Turan-Tepelena, with a wide participation and a harmonious activity.
The blessed tekke of Turan, founded early in the 16th and 17th centuries, was able to keep the feet of the dervishes, fathers and believers of this region, for whom, the philosophy of Haxhi Bektash Veliu, was more than a religious context. Spreading the light of faith and brotherhood of Albanians under Ottoman rule, this tekke eventually crossed the shores of this religion, making believers present from all over the South of Albania.
It is remembered today, the outstanding contribution of father Ahmet Turani, who, raised with the national spirit of the previous clergy, from his early youth, inspired the brotherhood of the Bektashi order. It is a well-known fact that the Turan tekke, in the period of the Albanian autonomous movement, not only welcomed and protected the patriots of the South of Albania, but also became a place of learning the Albanian language. The name of this tekke, as well as the tekke of Koshtan, are mentioned in a number of Ottoman documents, as centers of education of generations with pure national feelings.
Raped and destroyed by Ottoman statesmen in 1826, burned and looted by Greek andartes in 1913-1914, the Turan tekke rose to its feet again, thanks to the devotion of Baba Ahmed and his dervishes, playing a key role first, in the years 1915 - 1930. But of course, it could not be revived without the love of hundreds of muhibans and thousands of tekke lovers, who could not separate it from their soul.
In the doors and courtyard of this tekke, in the café and its squares rebuilt several times, have left their unpaid traces clerics: father Sejdin Canaj, father Refat Kuta, father Bilal Beqiraj, father Bajram Gapaj, father Ahmet Goxhaj, dervish Demir Shahinaj, dervish Luto Memaliaj and dozens of other clerics, who not only keep alive the wonderful memories of this tekke, but enriched the traditions with even more valuable moral and religious elements.
A valuable contribution was also given by the dervish Mikel Oneja, who in very few years, brought to light the tekke of Turan. Relying on the teachings of his myrshid, dede Reshat Bardhi, but also on the wonderful traditions of Turan and Tepelena, dervish Mikeli is increasing this tekke day by day, reviving in the first place, the faith in the hearts of every believer.
