I t is the center away from Poultry. Konya, a district off a million souls, squats slap in the exact middle of Anatolia’s insane ordinary, in the middle of discover, endless prairie. Turkey’s really culturally conservative city, Konya looks in the beginning are a location of rigid headscarves and you may foreboding beards, regarding ostentatiously noticed pieties and you may taboo beers. However, uncovering Konya is easy – to have Guyanese varme kvinner right here, at the heart of your own old area, in the tomb away from turquoise ceramic tiles, was Jelaluddin Rumi.
Rumi is just one of the planet’s very realize poets. Through the his lifestyle, and because their dying when you look at the 1273, pilgrims came so you’re able to Konya. Today, Rumi’s tomb are Turkey’s next very-visited tourist destination adopting the Topkapi Castle inside Istanbul. Rumi try a mystic, a good Sufi saint which treasured the religions, and you may whose very own religion was like. His supporters manage (nevertheless do) cure themselves into the hypnotic trance and you will moving, sometimes spinning such as passes non-stop.
There clearly was a big, unbelievable brand new civil auditorium where which delicate spinning people dancing try performed, and you will any level of charming glossy-eyed mystics for the carpet shop, cafes and you may medieval bazaars, the delighted in order to receive you to an exclusive zikhr
These spinning dervishes are now new icon out of Turkey’s tourist procedures, and sip teas on the Istanbul resorts lobby viewing specific terrible bloke from inside the a taller beige noticed hat whirling to have your own amusement. To the real thing, though, been heree to Konya while visited Turkey’s heart. When you look at the Rumi’s terms and conditions:
“Anyone who you are, started Even though you could be An infidel, good pagan, or a good fireworshipper, become All of our brotherhood is not one of depression you keeps damaged Their vows from repentance one hundred minutes, already been.”
Every 12 months while the 1983, I was upcoming into the a couple of million-or-so visitors exactly who go to Konya a year. Most are Turkish, while most Iranians (who allege Rumi since their individual, while the he typed within their vocabulary and you can was born in east Persia) plus make the pilgrimage.
In lieu of to make Konya a halt to the a bus concert tour, I suggest becoming for many days, soaking up the feeling, food several of Turkey’s greatest mutton, seeing its better Seljuk tissues and you may – possibly – falling in love with Rumi. You could potentially fly inside affordably regarding Istanbul, where there’s also a good scruffy, atmospheric illustrate, or arrive by-road. Konya is within simple reach of cavern dwellers and carpeting suppliers of Cappadocia.
Rumi turned up here as an excellent boy, whenever Konya had become a region for 2,000 decades. It had been based of the Hittites, have been been successful because of the Phrygians, then your Lydians, Persians, Cappadocians, the latest leaders out of Pergamon and also the Romans, which called the set Iconium. New orleans saints Paul and you can Barnabus each other preached right here, however, by 1071 new Seljuks, a Turcoman tribe, were in control, as well as their architectural heritage suffers.
Their Karatay Medrese from 1251 was a work of art out-of ornate tiling and unified domes. It is now the fresh new Art gallery away from Tiles and you can Ceramics, whose contents maintain the vibrancy and you may strike they’d when earliest discharged. Nearby, this new Ince Minarali Medrese became brand new Art gallery from Brick and you may Wood Carving, and that is way less lifeless than We have managed to make it voice. Those two structures whet your appetite to discover the ornately tiled Sircali Medrese, and the brilliant Sahip Ata mosque: rather than the majority of the Muslim community, into the Turkey you are encouraged to see mosques, almost any their spiritual choices.
In the junction of your dated area as well as unsightly this new neighbor ‘s the Alaaddin mosque, the fresh city’s vantage section, whoever stunning ebony pulpit and you may sensitive prayer-specific niche are from 1155 (the new state-of-the-art is finished in 1221). The brand new boulevard radiating from this point provides you to definitely Rumi’s tomb, of which a lot more later. Rumi can Turks because Mevlana (the fresh Sainted You to definitely), and today Konya is during thrall to Mevlanamania.
While i earliest arrived, Mevlana’s supporters, the fresh Mevlevi, was basically a banned organization, accepted simply for its “folkloric dancing” and whirlings. Meetings occurred secretly, dishonestly.
I mentioned dining, as well. Konya’s mutton-centric cuisine is very good. Etli ekmek is a long, thin move-up pizza pie spread with delicately spiced mince, and you can Konya kebab is actually a lamb shank, extremely slower roasted and you can supported to the a pillow away from money having a sweet red onion. The greatest was at Konak (Restoran, Akcesme mah. Piriesat Cad. Zero 5, +90 332 352 85 47), whose soup and homemade natural yogurt try heaven-generated.
Hence, remarkably provided, in accordance with of many cups of sweet tannic teas in you, help make your answer to Rumi’s tomb. Your get in on the awestruck, the brand new curious as well as the fervent. A mystical twinkly white plays into the tombs regarding Rumi and you can their followers. The brand new wall space was embroidered with calligraphy, and the ceilings is actually good kaleidoscope of superbly conducted arabesques. Rumi’s tomb is covered in the greatly embroidered content off gold, and appears to radiate white and comfort and you may compassion.
Are typical moved, for let me reveal like
Some of your own other pilgrims commonly read Korans, and others Rumi’s poetry. Very capture photos, although this is strictly taboo. You will find people who weep quietly, and those who make fun of out loud; individuals who reflect all day long, and those who hurry thanks to.
To relax and play privately and you may insinuating itself in the understanding ‘s the ney, an effective reed flute. It sounds eg breathy air, but is actually the sound from flame, and therefore goes up and you can falls inside us. That isn’t specific sullen spiritual whining, nevertheless sound out-of yearning, out-of communion, of one’s cardiovascular system. You have got it – it’s heart sounds, also it most supplies you with. Therefore come.
Turkish Airlines (020-7471 6666) flies so you can Konya via Istanbul out of Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham and you can Manchester, out of ?219 rtn inc taxes. Istanbul so you’re able to Konya by the train will set you back from all over ?24 go back, or about ?36 return by the bus. Lodge Balikcilar keeps bedroom or just around ?70 (as well as have provides cold beers). Resort Dergah (+90 332 351 76 61) room around ?20. Tickets observe this new whirling dervishes try free of the latest traffic place of work, about Mevlana’s tomb. Mete Horzum on SeleneTour (+ninety 532 564 9192, ) arranges personal whirling and you may zikhr out-of ?30pp.
