How Hajdarelez was celebrated in old Podgorica

Sometimes I consciously wander through the old streets of Podgorica. If those streets hadn't lived in the stories of my elders and if I hadn't heard about life and coexistence in them, it wouldn't matter to me if I was on Božana Vučinić Square or now in the already forgotten Kiš mahal.

When a city or district plan is changed, it is usually aimed at something better than the existing one. I am sure that the Kiš mahal along which it stretched is neither better nor more beautiful today. To the people of Podgorica, its part is known as "Pogrebno", and when I really look, that's how it looks to me, unfortunately!

Hajdarelez, as the Muslims called him, or Đurđev, as the Orthodox called him, falls on May 6. It also has different meanings among different peoples. However, Podgorica was aware of the beginning of summer. Professor Alija Nametak staying in Podgorica in the period 1933-1935. he recorded, among other things, a short legend about Đurđev;

"The day before Đurđev (according to the old calendar), which Muslims in Titograd call Hajdarelez (from Hidr and Ilijas, the good spirits of land and sea, who meet on that day), buy dried figs, garlic and young cheese. Everything alive rises before dawn. Barren women bathe under the mill spout (groove). The houses are decorated with greenery and all kinds of flowers. In the morning, a silver coin is thrown into the water tub (when there was no plumbing and when water was kept in tubs). Flowers and all kinds of greenery are thrown into that tub. All that is taken out again in the evening. Whoever keeps sheep slaughters a lamb for lunch early in the morning. The sheep are taken out onto the ice, given salt and several bullets are fired from a revolver over them. Garlic, young cheese and dried figs are eaten early. For lunch, we make skrobnica (a pie made from crustaceans, butter, cheese and various types of greens)."

In addition to the above, the morning begins with the awakening of the household. The housewife gets up first and wakes up the other housemates by spraying water. If there were betrothed in the time of Hajdarelez, the girls would be sent for a lamb from the bachelor's side. When congratulating Hajdarelez, it is enough to say "Naka ​​va hajr Hajdarelez" to get the answer "Hello, you were".

It's nice that Professor Nametak recorded this custom, but it's sad that the custom has almost been forgotten. Customs are disappearing just like the spirit of the old town. It is not enough that they live in memories, because memories fade.

This is just one of a series of forgotten old Podgorica customs. Not to mention Kish Mahal. She's gone. And that joy during Hajdarelez, when the gates are decorated with flowers, when a song can be heard from the rich Podgorica garden, when Omeraginica and Markojca hug each other and congratulate Đurđev and Hajdarelez, has disappeared...

After the war, houses and verandas were slowly demolished. Buildings were being built. There were no more gates and heavy mandalas. The cobblestones up to the Kapadžić bridge were replaced by asphalt. Zina no longer waited with a lantern for Muj to sneak under her windowpanes, nor does anyone remember Hajdarelez anymore, let alone bathing under the mill caster.