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reddin Hodja was a sacred man. While he was making this work
he kept a way to himself due to his own nature. So, he stated the
matter in order to tell right and correcting corrupted things in so-
ciety with a language and style being understood by public easily
in a meaningful way through humors as short and concisely. Özhan
Öztürk has stated Nasreddin Hodja was a symbol of Anatolian
people’s desperate destiny during invasion of Mongols; in a period
when written press did not exist, the criticism of administrators and
public order was stated by Nasreddin Hodja.
One of these works, the jokes of the Hodja were gathered, is at
British Museum in London. It is a manuscript work called ‘Haza
Terceme-i Nasreddin Efendi Rahme. But some of jokes in this work
do not fit with his style and wit technique. As a matter of fact, at
the end of this manuscript work this condition told: “Here there is no
doubt and uncertainty that Nasreddin Hodja is one of great walis.
Whether he is informed from these annotations or not. Whoever
reads and grants a Fatiha (the first chapter of the Quran) for his soul
may Allah-ü Teala make good of that person’s end and after-
math.” In addition, other jokes have been given place in the work
called Nasreddin Hodja.
Nasreddin Hodja had recognized individual and society very well
with every aspect, he stated jokes in order to correct defects when
he saw in family, neighborhood, friendliness, commercial relations
and advise them, he urged them to think and to correct way.
Sociologists, psychologists have gotten benefit much from his jokes
to know humans and examine their various sides. The renowned
judges in that period said that they had gotten help and advice
from Nasreddin Hodja. The jokes of Nasreddin Hodja have been
translated into western languages and important publications were
made in these languages. Among them, Nasreddin et son epouse
book of Pierre Mille; the part of Nasreddin Hodje in La Litterature
Populaire Turque book of Edmond Savussey; the book of Jean Paul
Carnier called Nasreddin Hoca et ses Histoires Turques.
5. Tınaztepe Cave
Tınaztepe Caves were found by French scientist Michel Bakalowichz
in 1968 and plan of the caves was drawn. This plan was published
by Bilgi Magazine. Also Dr. Bakalowichz searched for the caves
medically; specified “they are a natural treatment condition for
asthma patients”.
In 1970, another research group; Captan Jacques Cousteau’s
team the German Reinhold Messner and colleagues had come to
the region to search for the Suğla Lake and underground resources
that feed it. They had discovered the Fası Strait and Tınaztepe ca-
ves’ connections and they had determined underground lakes of
there are in 22 kilometers length. The same team had also pictured
of the caves, and they published the geological structure and ge-
ological document, their adventure experienced took in the book
named “Wonders of the World”.
The total length of the cave is 1580 meters. Except a 30-meter
downward at the end, the cave has a completely smooth feature.
In the region, the climate features a transition between the Medi-
terranean and terrestrial. The highest temperature has been mea-
sured as 36,5 C degree, the least temperature is -18,4 C degree.