I t ‘s the heart out-of Turkey. Konya, a city of a million souls, squatting smack in the center of Anatolia’s insane simple, enclosed by unlock blackpeoplemeet Dating Site Review, limitless prairie. Turkey’s most culturally traditional town, Konya seems in the beginning to get a location regarding tight headscarves and you will foreboding beards, out of ostentatiously noticed pieties and you will forbidden beers. However, uncovering Konya is easy – to have here, at the heart of your old city, within his tomb out of turquoise tiles, is Jelaluddin Rumi.
Rumi is among the earth’s most see poets. Through the his existence, and since his dying inside the 1273, pilgrims came to Konya. Now, Rumi’s tomb is Turkey’s next extremely-visited travelers attraction adopting the Topkapi Castle inside Istanbul. His followers carry out (whilst still being carry out) cure themselves within the hypnotic trance and you may dance, possibly rotating instance tops all the time.
These spinning dervishes are now brand new icon out of Turkey’s tourism campaigns, and drink tea in your Istanbul hotel reception watching particular poor bloke during the a taller beige considered cap whirling to own their entertainment. To the real deal, no matter if, started heree so you can Konya and you reach Turkey’s soul. From inside the Rumi’s words:
There clearly was a large, epic the fresh civil auditorium where so it delicate whirling individual dancing is did, and you may any amount of lovely sleek-eyed mystics during the carpeting shop, cafes and you will medieval bazaars, every happier to receive one to an exclusive zikhr
“Anybody who you will be, already been Even if you could be A keen infidel, a good pagan, or a good fireworshipper, become All of our brotherhood isn’t one of anxiety If you provides broken The vows away from repentance one hundred minutes, started.”
Every seasons once the 1983, I have already been future into the two billion-or-very tourist who head to Konya a year. Most are Turkish, many Iranians (which claim Rumi as his or her very own, because the he composed within words and you will grew up in east Persia) including improve pilgrimage.
In lieu of making Konya a halt on a bus trip, I suggest becoming for most months, taking in the feeling, food a number of Turkey’s top lamb, watching the top Seljuk architecture and you will – perhaps – shedding in love with Rumi. You might fly from inside the affordably from Istanbul, from which additionally there is a good scruffy, atmospheric train, or are available by-road. Konya is actually effortless started to of one’s cave dwellers and you will carpet providers off Cappadocia.
Rumi turned up right here due to the fact a great son, when Konya got started a region for a few,000 age. It had been dependent by the Hittites, who had been been successful from the Phrygians, then the Lydians, Persians, Cappadocians, the fresh leaders off Pergamon as well as the Romans, whom known as lay Iconium. New orleans saints Paul and you can Barnabus each other preached here, however, of the 1071 new Seljuks, a great Turcoman tribe, was in charge, and their architectural history endures.
Its Karatay Medrese away from 1251 is actually a work of art from ornate tiling and you may good domes. It is today new Museum regarding Ceramic tiles and you can Ceramics, whose information take care of the vibrancy and you can punch they had whenever first discharged. Close by, the brand new Ince Minarali Medrese is now brand new Art gallery away from Brick and you may Timber Carving, and that’s a lot less dry than just We have managed to make it sound. Both of these buildings whet urge for food to get the ornately tiled Sircali Medrese, therefore the good Sahip Ata mosque: rather than much of the newest Muslim business, in Chicken you’re motivated to see mosques, any kind of the religious preferences.
In the junction of your own dated area as well as unattractive the neighbour ‘s the Alaaddin mosque, the city’s vantage area, whose breathtaking black pulpit and painful and sensitive prayer-market are from 1155 (brand new cutting-edge is actually finished in 1221). New boulevard radiating from here brings one Rumi’s tomb, from which far more afterwards. Rumi may Turks because the Mevlana (the brand new Sainted You to), and after this Konya is during thrall so you’re able to Mevlanamania.
Rumi is actually a mystical, good Sufi saint which treasured all religions, and whose individual faith are love
While i basic appeared, Mevlana’s followers, the Mevlevi, were a blocked organisation, accepted simply for its “folkloric dance” and you can whirlings. Group meetings occurred secretly, dishonestly.
I mentioned dining, too. Konya’s mutton-centric cooking is superb. Etli ekmek is a lengthy, narrow roll-right up pizza bequeath with delicately spiced mince, and you may Konya kebab is a lamb shank, extremely more sluggish roasted and you will offered to your a support out-of bread having a nice red-colored onion. The best is at Konak (Restoran, Akcesme mah. Piriesat Cad. No 5, +ninety 332 352 85 47), whoever soups and selfmade yoghurt was eden-produced.
For this reason, wonderfully given, and with of many glasses of sweet tannic tea in you, create your way to Rumi’s tomb. You get in on the awestruck, this new interested in addition to fervent. A mysterious twinkly white plays towards the tombs out-of Rumi and you may their followers. The brand new wall space try padded with calligraphy, in addition to ceilings are good kaleidoscope out of superbly executed arabesques. Rumi’s tomb is covered into the significantly padded cloth of gold, and appears to glow light and you can comfort and you will compassion.
A few of your other pilgrims have a tendency to read Korans, while others Rumi’s poetry. Really take photo, while this is strictly forbidden. You will find individuals who weep gently, and those who make fun of aloud; people that meditate non-stop, and people who rush as a consequence of. Are typical moved, to have we have found love.
To tackle quietly and you will insinuating itself into the consciousness is the ney, a reed flute. It may sound such as for example breathy air, it is actually the voice out-of flames, and that increases and you may drops inside us. This is not particular sullen spiritual complaining, nevertheless the sound from wanting, away from communion, of one’s cardiovascular system. You really have they – it’s soul sounds, plus it really provides you with. Very started.
Turkish Air companies (020-7471 6666) flies so you can Konya through Istanbul off Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham and you can Manchester, out-of ?219 rtn inc fees. Istanbul to help you Konya because of the railway can cost you from around ?24 return, or around ?thirty six return because of the bus. Hotel Balikcilar provides rooms or around ?70 (while having caters to cooler drinks). Hotel Dergah (+ninety 332 351 76 61) bed room up to ?20. Tickets to see the newest whirling dervishes is actually clear of the newest website visitors workplace, about Mevlana’s tomb. Mete Horzum at SeleneTour (+90 532 564 9192, ) organizes private spinning and you may zikhr away from ?30pp.