Blagaj's Dervish House

At the source of the very cold and clean Buna river is an ancient Tekija, or Sufi monastery. The beauty of this place is stirring. Towering cliffs above. The river gushes from deep below, emerging from a limestone cave.

A local man pulled us by boat, using a guide line, into the cave where he told us about his beloved river. His family has lived in Blagaj for 400 years. The cave, he said, was used to store foods to keep them cool for the residents of the Sufi Monastery. The cave was also used by Neolithic people.

Aaron went inside the Tekija, which is small, but spacious enough for Zikr prayer and some Dervish whirling. Three times a week, Zikr is still held, and in May, some 50,000 Sufis come to the town for devotional gathering.

We used this visit as an opportunity to introduce the kids to concepts of Sufism and mysticism. Our river campsite allowed us to swim in the cold Buna waters, and it was COLD!Read more