Aslanbəyli karvansarası

Aslanbeyli caravanserai or Haji Mahmud Afendi's guest house — a 19th‑century architectural monument located in the village of Aslanbeyli, Qazax district

History

This caravanserai was built by the local religious figure Haji Mahmud Afendi Qarani (1835–1896) next to his house for the purpose of a dargah (shrine). The entrance door bears the Hijri date 1301 (Gregorian 1883), indicating that the construction was completed in that year. Haji Mahmud Afendi erected cells (small rooms) around his house and opened a madrasa; these cells were later joined together to form the present caravanserai building. At the end of the 19th century the caravanserai became Haji Mahmud Afendi’s pilgrimage site, and his devotees and guests gathered there. In 1938 Soviet press reported that 10 men and 4 women lived in the Aslanbeyli guesthouse (referred to in the article as a “monastery”), and that love‑themed poems were written on its walls. After religious activity was halted during the Soviet era, the building was used for a time as a warehouse (a place for storing household supplies).

Architectural features

The Aslanbeyli caravanserai, in terms of architectural style, carries characteristics typical of the residential buildings of affluent inhabitants of Azerbaijani villages in the 19th century. The building is made of local stone and was constructed adjacent to Haji Mahmud Afendi’s two‑storey residential house. The one‑storey caravanserai originally consisted of separate cells and, after being completed in 1883, took the form of a single structure. On the stone slabs above the entrance door, in Arabic script, the words “Sana 1301” (year 1301) and “Dargah Mahmud Qarani, or Hazrat Mawlana” are inscribed, indicating the construction date and that it is Sheikh Mahmud’s dargah. In the courtyard of the caravanserai there is a small rectangular stone structure about 1 meter high. Although some records mistakenly label this structure as a “türbe” (mausoleum), it was actually the place where Haji Mahmud Afendi’s body was washed after his death, and later it was regarded by the local population as a sacred site and protected with a stone fence.

Protection and modern condition

Aslanbəyli caravanserai is protected by the Azerbaijani state as a locally significant historical-architectural monument (inventory No 4538). According to the list approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan by decision No 132 dated 2 August 2001, it is included among the monuments protected together with the guesthouse, Haji Mahmud Efendi’s house, his tomb and mosque. In the independence period, at the end of the 1990s Haji Mahmud Efendi’s residence and guesthouse were restored and returned to public use. A memorial museum of him was organized in Sheykh’s house, and personal items donated by his relatives living in Turkey, including Seyid Mir Hamza Nigar’s “Divan” published in Tiflis in 1908, began to be exhibited as an exhibit. Currently the Aslanbəyli caravanserai complex (Sheykh’s house and guesthouse) operates as a pilgrimage museum.

The location of the caravanserai holds important significance both for religious and rural tourism. Here Haji Mahmud Efendi’s tomb (built in the 1890s, known among the people as “Göy türbə”) rises in the village’s ancient cemetery and is famous as a wide spiritual centre. A large number of pilgrims from the Kazakh, Ganja and Borchaly regions come with intention to this sacred shrine, visiting the tomb and the dargah. According to information from local authorities, the tomb and guesthouse complex in Aslanbəyli has great potential for religious tourism and also positively influences the development of rural tourism in the region. Visitors use certain services in the village, which creates opportunities for the local population to be involved in tourism activities. While the caravanserai complex is kept under state protection, it is transmitted to future generations as a rare example of the region’s material and cultural heritage.

Sources

Faiq Nəsibov. Haji Mahmud Efendi. Aslanbəyli and Nigarilik. II International Hamza Nigari Symposium, Baku, 2004.

This article examines in detail the life of Haji Mahmud Efendi, his activities in the village of Aslanbeyli, and his connections with the Nigarilik sect.

Sadiq Qara. Bura Qazaxdır. Baku, 2003.

The book contains information about the history, culture, and notable personalities of the Kazakh region.

Kamal Abdullayev. Sacred pilgrimage sites in Azerbaijan. Baku: Çinar-Çap, 2007.

The work presents information on sacred pilgrimage sites located in various regions of Azerbaijan, including the tomb and caravanserai in the village of Aslanbeyli.

Pasha Yaqub. Doğrulan ümidlər. Baku, 2009.

This book provides information on Azerbaijan's religious and cultural heritage, as well as the activities of personalities such as Haji Mahmud Efendi.

"Qırmızı Şəmkir" newspaper, 1938.

This newspaper contains information about the inn in the village of Aslanbeyli during the Soviet period and the people living there.

Sputnik Azerbaijan. The last Azerbaijani caliph of Naqshbandism. 24 January 2017.

This article provides information on the last representatives of the Naqshbandi order in Azerbaijan and their activities.