Contact us and become part of the experience called Istanbul. Especially guided Istanbul tour dervishes experience. This is the place which likes to introduce Mevlana, its poetry, wisdom and dervishes to you and ‘feed’ your souls. In other words, this is spiritual Istanbul. The cosmopolitan city, the fairy tale for Gods, sultans, palaces, concubines. But one for love and tolerance as well, has always been an alluring destination.
Whirling dervishes shows in Istanbul
Who are the dervishes? Are they only ‘turners’, people in long, white gowns who learnt the skill of revolving? Or are they something more than that?
Dervishes are the creation of Mevlana. They are members of the Mevlevi Order of Sufis. They symbolise their religious beliefs by means of their ecstatic dance. This dance is a prayer. It is an attempt for a closer relationship with God. A spiritual journey of the soul. Dervishes aim to get closer to God by their virtues instead of their worldly attempts. They choose poverty in order to avoid monetary distractions getting in the way of their belief.
Mevlana was interested in the practice known as ‘Sema’. This is what dervishes dance in honour of their great teacher. ‘Sema’ is the movement which helps emptying the mind in order to focus on God.
Private Istanbul Tours
Once you get in the fairy tale, Istanbul, you will have your narrator next to you, to guide you. Then, you have the guide to explain Dervish and Sufism background to you in a detailed manner. You will have the opportunity to know more about the history of the performance before watching it. You will get the Dervish experience and feel the Rumi spirit.
‘Sema’ is not simply a body movement. It’s a natural revolution of the body, which, in this case, responds to either poetry or music.
Guided Istanbul tour dervishes – Whirling dervishes around Turkey
Nowadays, the Mevlevi or Whirling dervishes are alive and well in Turkey. They can be seen in different places around the country. Once in Konya only, as it was Rumi’s home for the greater part of his life, today visitors to Turkey can enjoy the dervishes in many places. Round Turkey tours that we offer as well, include Istanbul and the dervishes’ show. After the death of Rumi in 1273, the Mevlevi order spread throughout the Ottoman empire. After the foundation of the Turkish Republic, though, all Mevlevi orders were closed. Fortunately, they were soon allowed to reform as a “cultural organization”. All those who believe in Rumi’s message of peace, love, tolerance and acceptance, can feel it is as vital and urgently necessary today as it was in the time of Rumi and the Seljuk empire.
Sufism and Christianity – guided Istanbul tour dervishes
“If I were not a Sufi, I would not be rediscovering Christianity.”(‘Song of a Christian Sufi’
by Marietta Bahri Della Penna) There are many similarities between Sufism and Christianity. One has to be really interested in them and in encountering God, to know that these both are vehicles for encountering the living God.
To do that and get the best of every religion, and become a better person, one need to know Sufism and Christianity relatively well. What better way to learn more about Christianity than join tours Ephesus?
Istiklal Street Beyoglu
Istanbul Modern
