We t is the cardio away from Poultry. Konya, a neighbor hood away from a million souls, leg squats smack in the exact middle of Anatolia’s crazy ordinary, surrounded by discover, endless prairie. Turkey’s really culturally conservative area, Konya looks to start with to be an area off tight headscarves and foreboding beards, away from ostentatiously noticed pieties and you may forbidden beers. But discovering Konya is easy – for right here, in the centre of your own dated urban area, inside the tomb from turquoise tiles, try Jelaluddin Rumi.
Rumi is one of the world’s extremely discover poets. Through the their life, and because his death into the 1273, pilgrims came in order to Konya. Now, Rumi’s tomb try Turkey’s 2nd extremely-visited travelers destination adopting the Topkapi Castle inside Istanbul. Rumi try a mystical, an excellent Sufi saint whom liked every religions, and you may whose own faith was like. Their supporters create (nevertheless would) dump by themselves inside hypnotic trance and you may moving, often spinning for example passes for hours on end.
There can be an enormous, unbelievable the fresh new civil auditorium in which it tender spinning person ballet are performed, and one amount of pleasant sleek-eyed mystics in carpet stores, cafes and you may medieval bazaars, all the delighted in order to ask that a private zikhr
These spinning dervishes are in fact the fresh icon of Turkey’s tourist strategies, and you will drink tea on the Istanbul resort reception seeing particular worst bloke for the a taller beige sensed cap spinning to own the amusement. On the real deal, no matter if, already been heree so you’re able to Konya and also you started to Turkey’s soul. From inside the Rumi’s terminology:
“Anyone who you may be, already been Even though you is generally An enthusiastic infidel, a beneficial pagan, or a great fireworshipper, become The brotherhood is not one of anxiety However keeps broken Your own vows of repentance a hundred moments, become.”
Almost every year once the 1983, I have already been coming toward a few million-or-so people which head to Konya per year. Most are Turkish, some Iranians (exactly who allege Rumi since their individual, as he wrote within words and was born in eastern Persia) and make the pilgrimage.
Unlike and work out Konya a halt towards a shuttle tour, I recommend staying for a few months, soaking up an impression, restaurants several of Turkey’s most useful lamb, viewing their best Seljuk buildings and you can – maybe – losing in love with Rumi. You could potentially fly into the cheaply away from Istanbul, where additionally there is a good scruffy, atmospheric show, otherwise appear by-road. Konya is within simple started to of one’s cave dwellers and you will carpet sellers off Cappadocia.
Rumi turned up here as a beneficial boy, whenever Konya got started a location for 2,000 years. It had been founded from the Hittites, who had been been successful from the Phrygians, then Lydians, Persians, Cappadocians, the newest kings off Pergamon and the Romans, which called the place Iconium. Saints Paul and you may Barnabus both preached right here, but by the 1071 new Seljuks, a good Turcoman tribe, had been in control, as well as their structural heritage endures.
Its Karatay Medrese from 1251 try a work of art out-of embellished tiling and you may good domes. It is now brand new Art gallery out of Ceramic tiles and Ceramics, whoever contents keep up with the vibrancy and you can punch that they had whenever first discharged. Close by, the fresh Ince Minarali Medrese is the new Museum regarding Stone and you will Timber Carving, and that is much less deceased than just I have made it voice. These structures whet your appetite to discover the ornately tiled Sircali Medrese, plus the breathtaking Sahip Ata mosque: rather than much of the latest Muslim globe, inside Chicken you’re motivated to go to mosques, any kind of your own spiritual tastes.
In the junction of your own dated area as well as unappealing the fresh neighbor is the Alaaddin mosque, the fresh new city’s vantage point, whose beautiful ebony pulpit and sensitive prayer-niche come from 1155 (the brand new state-of-the-art are finished in 1221). The boulevard radiating from this point brings one Rumi’s tomb, where so much more afterwards. Rumi is recognized to Turks because Mevlana (the brand new Sainted One to), now Konya is in thrall to help you Mevlanamania.
While i basic arrived, Mevlana’s supporters, the new Mevlevi, was indeed a blocked organization, accepted only for its “folkloric dancing” and you will whirlings. Group meetings happened secretly, illegally.
I mentioned restaurants, too. Konya’s mutton-centric food is excellent. Etli ekmek are a long, thin roll-right up pizza spread having delicately spiced mince, and you may Konya kebab was a mutton shank, really slow roasted and supported to your a pillow from dough which have a nice red-colored onion. A is at Konak (Restoran, Akcesme mah. Piriesat Cad. Zero 5, +90 332 352 85 47), whose kissbrides.com Klikk pГҐ dette her nГҐ soups and you can selfmade natural yogurt are heaven-produced.
Therefore, superbly given, in accordance with of a lot cups of nice tannic teas inside you, build your cure for Rumi’s tomb. You join the awestruck, the fresh curious and the fervent. A mysterious twinkly white takes on for the tombs away from Rumi and you can their followers. The fresh structure are padded having calligraphy, in addition to ceilings is a beneficial kaleidoscope away from splendidly performed arabesques. Rumi’s tomb is covered into the significantly stitched material away from silver, and seems to radiate white and you will comfort and you can mercy.
Are typical gone, getting listed here is love
Some of the other pilgrims usually understand Korans, and others Rumi’s poetry. Most take images, while this is purely forbidden. You will find people that cry quietly, and those who make fun of out loud; people that meditate throughout the day, and people who hurry thanks to.
To try out privately and insinuating alone into the awareness ‘s the ney, an excellent reed flute. It may sound including breathy air, but is really the voice away from flame, hence rises and you may falls to the us all. This is not certain sullen spiritual complaining, however the voice from wanting, out-of communion, of center. You may have they – it’s soul tunes, also it very provides you with. Very started.
Turkish Airlines (020-7471 6666) flies to Konya via Istanbul out of Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham and you can Manchester, out of ?219 rtn inc taxes. Istanbul in order to Konya by the train costs throughout ?24 go back, or just around ?thirty-six come back because of the shuttle. Lodge Balikcilar provides rooms or around ?70 (and just have provides cooler drinks). Resort Dergah (+90 332 351 76 61) room to ?20. Passes observe the spinning dervishes are without new tourist workplace, trailing Mevlana’s tomb. Mete Horzum on SeleneTour (+90 532 564 9192, ) arranges personal whirling and zikhr of ?30pp.