Traditional "Küplü Sacrifice" observance continues in Kozlardere Village
The traditional Küplü Kurbanı (Sacrificial Feast of Küplü) was once again held on Sunday, July 6, in the village of Kozlardere, part of the Yassıköy Municipality in the Rodopi region.
Organized by the local residents, the annual event drew not only villagers but also a large number of members from the Turkish minority community.
The event began with the recitation of the Qur’an, followed by Mevlid-i Sharif and religious hymns performed by clergy. The main prayer was led by Mufti of Komotini, İbrahim Şerif, who also addressed the attendees. In his speech, he highlighted the spiritual and historical importance of the Küplü Kurbanı tradition and praised the community’s commitment to preserving this centuries-old ritual.
A number of local and regional dignitaries participated in the event, including:
- İbrahim Şerif, Mufti of Komotini
- Özgür Ferhat, MP from Rhodope for the New Left Party
- Rıdvan Molla İsa, Deputy Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
- Ahmet Osman Pehlivan, Regional Advisor
- Kaan Mümin, Regional Councilor
- Çiğdem Asafoğlu, President of the Friendship, Equality, and Peace Party (FEP)
- Sedat Hasan, President of the Turkish Youth Union of Komotini
- Caner İmam, Mayor of Yassıköy
- Municipal and regional council members, and other local officials
As part of the tradition, attendees were offered rice with meat and ayran (a yogurt-based drink), generously prepared by the villagers.
What Is the “Küplü Sacrifice”?
The Küplü Kurbanı is a long-standing tradition with roots in local legend, usually observed around harvest time. While its exact historical origins are unclear, it is believed to date back centuries and is associated with a story of divine intervention during a time of plague.
According to the tale, a deadly illness—referred to as a "kıran"—once struck the mountain area of Küplü, a plateau about 4-5 kilometers from today’s Kozlardere village. With many young and old perishing, the locals felt helpless.
One day, a wise old man with a white beard arrived in the village. After listening to the villagers' plight, he advised them to sacrifice a calf, share the meat with all attendees including outsiders, and leave a small serving aside. The villagers followed his instructions, and shortly after, the deadly outbreak miraculously ceased.
The elder vanished without a trace, and since then, villagers believed he possessed divine powers, sent to save them. In one version of the story, when a sacrificial animal once went missing the night before the ritual, it was seen mysteriously returned at dawn by the same old man—solidifying his status as a spiritual guardian. This led some to refer to the tradition as "Dede Kurbanı" (Elder's Sacrifice).
To this day, the people of Kozlardere honor this legend annually, preserving both the ritual and the memory of their village’s miraculous deliverance.
