Aug. 22 - We reach Konya where the whirling dervishes originated around midday. They say it is the most conservative city in Turkey. Walking around will tell you why. In the days of the Roman Empire, Konya was called Iconium, "the city of icons". Konya has become a place of pilgrimage for Moslems because the leader of the Mevlevis, Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi was buried here.

The Mevlevi order of whirling dervishes is a mystic group whose members are followers of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, a great Turkish poet and mystic. The brotherhood is based in Konya. Mevlana was never the head of an order, and the brotherhood was not established by himself but by his followers and devoted companions. The order derived its essence, rites, moral code and discipline from the mystical path first shown by Mevlana. It was a synthesis of spiritual love attained by a combination of music and dance which was considered to be the basic requirement for the spiritual ecstasy and devotion.

The Sema, rite of communal recitation practiced by the Mevlevis was traditionally performed in the semahane. It symbolized the attainment of the various levels of mystical union with God and of absolute perfection through spiritual fervor and controlled ecstasy. The sheik is the representative of Mevlana on earth. From the sheik’s animal skin garment extends an imaginary line across the floor of the chamber which is regarded as the cosmic guide to the ultimate truth.

The dervish wears a white coat over a long white skirt, which represents his burial garment. These are covered by a black cloak, which represents his tomb. The conical brown or white felt hat represents his tombstone. The only difference in the sheik’s clothing is that his hat is encircled by a dark band. The ceremony starts with a communal recitation followed by a recital of the flute. Wailing of the flute expresses longing for the ultimate. Before beginning their dance the dervishes bow to the sheik and kiss his hand. Then they let fall their black cloaks to symbolize their escape from the tomb and readiness to dance for God, they begin to turn slowly. Right arms are above the body palm facing upward whereas left hands face downward. This symbolizes that what they get from God’s grace and blessing, they pass on to the world. The dancers begin to move faster and faster. According to Mevlana, with the Sema, dervishes can reach out and touch the "ultimate". The Sema dance performances takes place each year on December 17.

The Mevlana Museum houses 55 graves belonging to Mevlana’s male relatives and dignitaries. Right under the center of the green dome lies a sarcophagus of blue marble made for Mevlana and his son Sultan Veled, made as a present by Suleyman the Magnificent. The blue marble sarcophagus is covered with a fine cloth with verses of the Koran embroidered in gold thread, a gift of Sultan Abdulhamit II in 1894.

We arrived Cappadocia late afternoon. That evening I found my dancing partner for the next three days. We did our own version of the "whirling dervishes".

return to the top - home