We t is the heart regarding Turkey. Konya, a neighbor hood away from a million souls, squats smack in the exact middle of Anatolia’s wild basic, enclosed by discover, endless prairie. Turkey’s very culturally conventional urban area, Konya appears in the beginning to-be a location away from strict headscarves and foreboding beards, from ostentatiously observed pieties and you can forbidden beers. However, discovering Konya is simple – for right here, in the centre of your old city, within his tomb off turquoise tiles, was Jelaluddin Rumi.
Rumi is amongst the earth’s most comprehend poets. During the his lifestyle, and because their death into the 1273, pilgrims have come so you’re able to Konya. Today, Rumi’s tomb try Turkey’s 2nd extremely-went along to tourist appeal following Topkapi Palace in the Istanbul. Rumi try a mystical, a good Sufi saint whom loved every religions, and whose very own faith was like. His followers manage (nevertheless do) get rid of by themselves in hypnotic trance and you will dancing, often rotating like tops for hours on end.
There is a massive, impressive the latest municipal auditorium in which so it tender spinning people dancing are performed, and you can any level of pleasant sleek-eyed mystics inside the carpeting stores, cafes and medieval bazaars, all the happier so you’re able to invite that a private zikhr
Such spinning dervishes are now this new symbol out-of Turkey’s tourism methods, and you will sip tea in your Istanbul lodge reception viewing particular terrible bloke when you look at the a high beige considered cap whirling getting your activity. On the real thing, regardless of if, come heree in order to Konya while arrive at Turkey’s heart. Into the Rumi’s terms and conditions:
« Anyone who you are, been Even if you could be A keen infidel, a pagan, otherwise a beneficial fireworshipper, come Our brotherhood is not certainly one of despair However has actually damaged Their vows out of repentance one hundred times, started. »
Every year since the 1983, I was future towards the one or two million-or-very tourist exactly who go to Konya a year. Some are Turkish, although many Iranians (exactly who allege Rumi because their own, since the the guy authored inside their words and was born in east Persia) including make the pilgrimage.
In lieu of to make Konya a halt with the a coach journey, I will suggest existence for many months, taking in the feeling, restaurants several of Turkey’s better mutton, seeing its better Seljuk structures and you can – possibly – falling in love with Rumi. You could travel inside the affordably of Istanbul, from where addititionally there is an effective scruffy, atmospheric teach, or are available by-road. Konya is within easy arrive at of cavern dwellers kissbrides.com fГёrsteklasses nettsted for ГҐ studere and you can carpeting suppliers regarding Cappadocia.
Rumi turned up here just like the a great boy, when Konya had been a neighbor hood for a few,000 age. It had been created from the Hittites, have been succeeded because of the Phrygians, then the Lydians, Persians, Cappadocians, the newest kings from Pergamon additionally the Romans, which known as put Iconium. Saints Paul and you will Barnabus one another preached right here, however, because of the 1071 the new Seljuks, good Turcoman tribe, had been in charge, in addition to their structural heritage endures.
The Karatay Medrese from 1251 was a masterpiece out of embellished tiling and you may good domes. It is today this new Art gallery off Ceramic tiles and Ceramics, whose contents keep up with the vibrancy and you will strike that they had whenever first discharged. Nearby, brand new Ince Minarali Medrese is starting to become the Museum out-of Stone and Wood Sculpture, and that’s a lot less dry than just You will find managed to make it sound. Both of these buildings whet your appetite to get the ornately tiled Sircali Medrese, in addition to excellent Sahip Ata mosque: as opposed to much of the new Muslim industry, inside the Chicken you are motivated to see mosques, whichever your own religious preferences.
Within junction of old area and its own unsightly this new neighbor is the Alaaddin mosque, brand new city’s vantage area, whoever stunning dark pulpit and delicate prayer-market come from 1155 (brand new state-of-the-art try finished in 1221). This new boulevard radiating from here will bring you to definitely Rumi’s tomb, from which much more after. Rumi could Turks as the Mevlana (the fresh new Sainted You to), and after this Konya is in thrall so you can Mevlanamania.
Whenever i very first showed up, Mevlana’s followers, the brand new Mevlevi, was a banned organisation, accepted just for the « folkloric dance » and whirlings. Conferences occurred secretly, illegally.
I pointed out dinner, too. Konya’s lamb-centric food is superb. Etli ekmek are a long, thin move-upwards pizza pie give which have delicately spiced mince, and you may Konya kebab try a mutton shank, extremely reduced roasted and you may served for the a cushion away from bread with a nice red-colored onion. A was at Konak (Restoran, Akcesme mah. Piriesat Cad. Zero 5, +ninety 332 352 85 47), whose soup and you can homemade natural yogurt was eden-produced.
Thus, splendidly given, sufficient reason for of a lot glasses of nice tannic teas in you, help make your solution to Rumi’s tomb. Your get in on the awestruck, the fresh interested additionally the fervent. A mystical twinkly light performs toward tombs regarding Rumi and you can their supporters. The fresh new wall space was padded which have calligraphy, while the ceilings are a beneficial kaleidoscope from beautifully conducted arabesques. Rumi’s tomb is included for the significantly stitched material off gold, and you will appears to glow light and you can tranquility and you can mercy.
Are common gone, for we have found like
Several of your fellow pilgrims tend to discover Korans, while some Rumi’s poetry. Very grab photographs, while this is strictly forbidden. There are those who weep quietly, and people who laugh out loud; people who reflect from day to night, and those who hurry through.
To tackle unofficially and you may insinuating itself to your understanding is the ney, good reed flute. It may sound instance breathy heavens, but is actually the sound regarding flame, and this goes up and you can falls into the us all. This isn’t particular sullen religious moaning, nevertheless sound away from craving, off communion, of cardiovascular system. You’ve got it – it’s heart audio, and it also extremely supplies you with. Thus already been.
Turkish Air companies (020-7471 6666) flies so you can Konya thru Istanbul out of Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham and you may Manchester, off ?219 rtn inc taxation. Istanbul to Konya of the rail costs from around ?24 come back, or just around ?thirty six go back of the shuttle. Resorts Balikcilar features bed room or about ?70 (while having serves cool beers). Lodge Dergah (+ninety 332 351 76 61) rooms as much as ?20. Seats to see the fresh new whirling dervishes are clear of this new tourist workplace, trailing Mevlana’s tomb. Mete Horzum during the SeleneTour (+ninety 532 564 9192, ) arranges private spinning and zikhr off ?30pp.