Dervishes and the Baglama

Like its ancestor the kopuz, the Turkmens of Anatolia attached sacred significance to the baglama, and the religious ceremonies of the Alevi and Bektasi sects begin by kissing the baglama and touching it to the head before beginning to play the hymns which made up a large part of the ritual. Alevi and Bektasi dervishes could be regarded as itinerant poets, and because its small size made it easy to carry they usually played the cura. Dr. Covel, who visited Turkey in 1673 and 1674 described it as "a little pittifull instrument with three wire strings, which every fellow thrums ordinarily about the streets", while Jean Thevenot around the same time noted that the Turks "have several instruments of music, the most common is a little lute with three strings on which they'll play a whole day and not put it out of tune".