AN ANALYSIS ON THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF ALEVI GULBENG

Publications on Alevi-Bektashi belief system indicates that the belief system is organized in lineages and each lineages have different cem rituals based on their own dynamics. The differences of rituals among lineages have reflections over the contexts of gulbengs and it is determined that gulbengs have a basic structure. This determination stresses the necessity of publishing particular publications on gulbengs just as the substantive ones on lineages. In this paper, the basic structure of Alevi gulbengs is tried to be put forward according to the gulbengs of hierarchically bonded five lineages centralized in Cubuk (Ankara) and Sabanozu (gallium.) which are performed in cem rituals and prepared by Erdebil cem rituals. A data base that consists of nearly two thousand gulbeng texts was set for this aim. This text pool was created by deciphering of 46 cem rituals of 42 different settlements in 5 cities. The analysis of gulbengs in the data base shows that traditional gulbeng structure consists of three main parts which are introduction, pray and closure. In this paper, beside from the three part structure the differences, changes, deformation of gulbengs, their reasons and consequences are also evaluated.