[wzslider autoplay=”true”]Twenty-eight riders from Sarajevo and four from Foca headed this morning from Sarajevo park At Mejdan to the traditional celebration of the manifestation, on one of the biggest Muslim pilgrimage sites for Muslims in Europe.
Beautifully decorated horses marched through the main streets of Sarajevo.
Mayor of the Municipality of Stari Grad Ibrahim Hadzibajric handed the flag to horsemen.
Ajvatovica is deeply rooted in the identity of Bosniaks. It is located at the foot of the mountain Suljaga, 7 kilometers away from the old town of Prusac. Ajvatovica is the specificity of Bosnian Muslims, because it has authentic character. It is not known when the first march on Ajvatovica was held, but it is known that the Ajvatovica is named after Ajvaz-grandfather, an Islamic scholar and dervish who came to Bosnia from the area of Turkey in the 15th century.
According to stories about Ajvaz-grandfather, on the 40th night upon his arrival the rock split at the pilgrimage site, and the water flowed out of it and today visitors of Ajvaz-grandfather’s rocks have the opportunity to taste it. Ajvaz-grandfather’s pilgrimage site is a meeting place for tens of thousands of Muslims from BiH, the region, Europe and Asia.
Ajvatovica includes a certain ceremony consisting of praying Fajr prayers on the open, departure to the place of assembly, where is recited the Qur’an surah Jasin, drinking coffee or tea, forming processions of horsemen led by a man carrying a flag of Ajvaz-grandfather, reciting nasheeds, saying the Takbir, passing through the rock, reciting Quran surah Fath and listening to the lectures on the lawn and praying together noon prayers in the open.
(Source: S. H./Klix.ba/Photo: novovrijeme.ba)
