Holy places help all who believe. They accept souls with open arms, because faith comes from the heart. The original source of human being is one. It is eternal, inexhaustible, with countless faces. At its core, however, is love.
People flock with love and faith to the healing peak “Dambala” – in the depths of the Eastern Rhodopes, near Momchilgrad. The place is revered by both Christians and Muslims.
The name of the massif comes from the Turkish language “damla – drop”. Dambala’s cold water springs and flows from a rock. The drinking water fountain, which was built later, seems to give additional beauty to this sacred place.
The following legend tells about the gushing of the water from the rock and the reason for its miraculous properties: Once the 40 Alevi saints, who came to this land from Khorasan (region between western and central Asia), with divine power and doing only good things around the world, gathered on the plateau above the rock to have a lunch. They sat at a stone table. Each of them took out one of the foods of the gods – grapes, dates and citrus fruits. The saints ate and looked for water to quench their thirst. There were only rocks around. Then the strongest of them – Yaran Baba (father), hit the rock with his fist and a lot of water gushed on it, which flowed to the valleys of nearby villages. Yaran Baba was startled, that the villages would drown and he blocked the spring. “If it doesn’t flow, at least it drips” he said. To this day, the water flows down from the rock and is called “dambala” / dripping /. Created by saints, water has life-giving, regenerating and healthy powers.
Many people have been cured with this water. The miracle happens on the night of May 5th. Then Christians celebrate St. George’s Day and Muslims celebrate Hidirlez. This is the day of the brothers Hidir and Ilyaz, who went in two opposite directions around the world to help people.
It is believed that the same night the sky opens, the oak forest mysteriously roars and the clear water becomes healing. From midnight until sunrise, the miraculous water of Dambala is the last hope and expected miracle for thousands of people who come from different parts of the world. The spring heals people with different diseases especially children who cannot speak or stutter. It is believed that if they are immersed in icy water at midnight, they will receive healing.
The ritual ablution is performed three times in a row, saying the following phrase: „Let the pain stay here, may there be health for me and all my loved ones“.
A coin is dropped into the fountain and part of the clothes is left on the trees’ branches. People leave the place at sunrise. Many people pour water directly from the rock. Water can be taken for the rest of people and animals in the home by giving them to drink from it.
It is believed to have an effect; the place should be visited for 3 years in a row and to perform the ritual.
This explains the popularity of Dambala as a peak which gives life with its holy water.
