A Literature Review on Jarjars and The Findings of The Russian Turkologist V. A. Gordlevsky on The Subject

Carcarlara İlişkin Bir Literatür Değerlendirmesi ve Rus Türkolog V. A. Gordlevskiy’nin Konu İle İlgili Tespitleri

Abstract

This article is about a group called "Jarjar" among the Abdals. The literal and etymological meaning of the expression Jarjar was associated with Khorasan mystical knowledge. Accordingly, the word "Jar" means to desire and demand. It is used in all areas, especially in Sufism. Because of those who did this, asking for help and collecting what they bought with a bowl, bag or kashkul in hand, their job is known as "going out on the jar." Jarjar is the name of quarters in the centers of the cities of Konya and Beyşehir and the communities living in these quarters. The communities of Abdals living in Konya and Beyşehir are called Jarjars. The Jarjars are associated with the Yagmur Ojak, one of the Pir-Ojaks to which the Abdal communities belong. Yagmur Ojak, on the other hand, is attached to the Murshid-Ojak of Haji Bektash Veli. Today the Abdals live in the quarters of Jarjar and know about the naming of Jarjar. As the meaning of Abdal became negative over time, Jarjar too became unusable due to its equally negative interpretation. After some time, this name of both quarters and communities was forgotten from the point of view of the history of the city and it became impossible to explain what it was used for. The Russian turkologist V. A. Gordlevsky conducted the first independent research on the Jarjars. His article entitled "Jarjars in Konya" is based on his fieldwork in Konya and was first published in 1927. Gordlevsky occupies a privileged place among orientalists due to his studies of Bektashism, Alevism and the Qizilbash.
However, despite the importance of his research, he made mistakes and included inaccurate information in his research. Because he draws heavy conclusions and gives room for gossip without analyzing his informants' stories, this makes his initial work on the subject sinister.

Keywords: Jarjar, Abdal, Gordlevsky, Konya, Beyşehir, Yaghmur Ojak, Haji Bektash Veli.