tanrlar

Tanrılar is the Turkish plural of tanrı, meaning deities or gods. The term appears in both historical and contemporary Turkish and in discussions of Turkic mythology. It is used to describe divine beings in pre-Islamic Turkic belief as well as in modern writings about myth and religion.

Etymology and usage: The word tanrı is a long-standing Turkic term for deity and is connected in scholarly thought to beliefs about the sky and divine power. Many researchers link it with the ancient Turkic sky god Tengri. The precise origin is debated, and the form tanrı or tanrılar has been used across different eras to refer to multiple deities in mythic systems or, in religious contexts, more generally to gods.

In myth and tradition: Classic Turkic myth features several well-known tanrılar, among them Tengri, the high sky god; Ülgen, a benevolent creator and lawgiver; and Erlik, lord of the underworld and death. Other figures such as Kayra Khan or Kyzaghan appear in various local traditions. The pantheon and the roles of tanrılar varied by tribe and region, with many deities associated with natural forces, celestial phenomena, or ancestral spirits.

Modern context: In contemporary Turkish, tanrı is used as a general term for deity and appears in literature, folklore studies, and comparative mythology. When referring to the Islamic concept of God, Turkish speakers typically use Allah, while tanrı can denote other gods or be used in a broader sense about divine beings in myth and folklore.