We t ‘s the heart from Chicken. Konya, a city of so many souls, leg squats smack in the middle of Anatolia’s crazy plain, enclosed by discover, limitless prairie. Turkey’s extremely culturally conventional area, Konya appears at first are a location out-of rigorous headscarves and you will foreboding beards, off ostentatiously noticed pieties and you may taboo drinks. But discovering Konya is easy – to have here, at the heart of old city, within his tomb away from turquoise tiles, was Jelaluddin Rumi.
Rumi is amongst the planet’s really understand poets. While in the their existence, and because their death for the 1273, pilgrims have come to help you Konya. Now, Rumi’s tomb are Turkey’s 2nd very-visited tourist appeal following the Topkapi Castle in Istanbul. Rumi are a mystical, a beneficial Sufi saint whom treasured most of the religions, and you will whoever individual religion was love. His supporters create (whilst still being carry out) beat on their own within the trance and moving, both rotating for example tops all day.
There is certainly a big, impressive brand new civil auditorium in which so it sensitive whirling individual dancing is did, and you can people quantity of pleasant glossy-eyed mystics in carpet storage, cafes and gothic bazaars, all pleased to invite one an exclusive zikhr
These spinning dervishes are in reality the fresh new icon off Turkey’s tourism ways, and drink tea on your own Istanbul resorts reception viewing certain worst bloke when you look at the a high beige experienced cap whirling having the entertainment. To your real thing, even though, already been heree to help you Konya and you arrive at Turkey’s spirit. From inside the Rumi’s words:
“Anybody who you’re, started Even if you is generally A keen infidel, a pagan, otherwise an excellent fireworshipper, already been Our very own brotherhood is not one of anxiety However keeps broken Their vows of repentance a hundred times, started.”
Almost every 12 months just like the 1983, I’ve been upcoming for the a few mil-or-very people exactly who go to Konya annually. Most are Turkish, although many Iranians (exactly who claim Rumi since their own, once the he authored in their vocabulary and you will was born in eastern Persia) including make pilgrimage.
In place of making Konya a halt into a bus trip, I suggest being for some weeks, bathing in an impact, dinner the Turkey’s best mutton, viewing their top Seljuk structures and you will – maybe – losing crazy about Rumi. You could potentially fly into the inexpensively away from Istanbul, from which there’s also an excellent scruffy, atmospheric instruct, or come by-road. Konya is actually effortless come to of the cave dwellers and you may carpeting providers out-of Cappadocia.
Rumi turned up right here since a great boy, whenever Konya got come a neighborhood for a few,000 many years. It absolutely was depending by Hittites, who had been been successful by Phrygians, then the Lydians, Persians, Cappadocians, the kings of Pergamon and also the Romans, which known as place Iconium. Saints Paul and Barnabus one another preached here, however, from the 1071 new Seljuks, a Turcoman group, have been in control, in addition to their structural history endures.
Its Karatay Medrese regarding 1251 is actually a work of art regarding embellished tiling and you can harmonious domes. It is now the Museum out-of Ceramic tiles and you can Ceramics, whoever contents keep up with the vibrancy and strike that they had when earliest discharged. Nearby, the latest Ince Minarali Medrese has become the latest Museum regarding Brick and you will Timber Carving, which will be much less deceased than We have made it voice. Those two houses whet your appetite to obtain the ornately tiled Sircali Medrese, and good Sahip Ata mosque: in the place of most of new Muslim globe, inside the Turkey you’re encouraged to visit mosques, any the spiritual choices.
During the junction of the dated city and its own unappealing the neighbor is the Alaaddin mosque, the latest city’s vantage point, whose gorgeous ebony pulpit and you can painful and sensitive prayer-market are from 1155 (the fresh new complex are completed in 1221). The boulevard radiating from here brings you to Rumi’s tomb, at which far more later. Rumi can Turks because Mevlana (the newest Sainted That), now Konya is during thrall so you can Mevlanamania.
Whenever i earliest came, Mevlana’s followers, the latest Mevlevi, had been a banned organisation, accepted simply for their “folkloric dancing” and you can whirlings. Meetings happened covertly, illegally.
I mentioned food, also. Konya’s mutton-centric cooking is superb. Etli ekmek try a long, slim move-right up pizza spread that have delicately spiced mince, and you can Konya kebab try a lamb shank, really slower roasted and offered for the a pillow out-of money with a sweet red-colored onion. Best was Visittsted at Konak (Restoran, Akcesme mah. Piriesat Cad. Zero 5, +90 332 352 85 47), whose soup and selfmade yogurt try paradise-generated.
Ergo, perfectly provided, with of numerous cups of sweet tannic tea in you, help make your cure for Rumi’s tomb. Your join the awestruck, the new curious together with fervent. A mysterious twinkly white takes on to the tombs of Rumi and you can his followers. The structure are stitched that have calligraphy, plus the ceilings is actually good kaleidoscope of wondrously conducted arabesques. Rumi’s tomb is included inside the vastly stitched content off silver, and you can seems to glow white and you can serenity and you may compassion.
Are common gone, to own listed here is love
A number of your own fellow pilgrims have a tendency to discover Korans, while others Rumi’s poetry. Extremely take photos, although this is strictly taboo. You will find people who weep gently, and those who make fun of out loud; those who reflect day long, and those who hurry using.
To try out unofficially and insinuating by itself in the consciousness ‘s the ney, good reed flute. It may sound for example breathy heavens, it is truly the sound off fire, and therefore goes up and you will falls inside people. This isn’t some sullen religious whining, but the sound away from wanting, out-of communion, of your cardio. You really have it – it’s heart audio, also it very sends you. Very become.
Turkish Air companies (020-7471 6666) flies to Konya thru Istanbul of Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester, of ?219 rtn inc fees. Istanbul in order to Konya of the train costs throughout ?24 come back, or about ?thirty six return by the coach. Resort Balikcilar provides bed room or about ?70 (and get caters to cool beers). Resorts Dergah (+ninety 332 351 76 61) bedroom around ?20. Tickets observe the brand new spinning dervishes try free of the fresh visitors workplace, behind Mevlana’s tomb. Mete Horzum at the SeleneTour (+90 532 564 9192, ) arranges personal spinning and you can zikhr out-of ?30pp.