On tours of Turkey, it is rare that tourists are not seduced by an evening watching the hypnotic mystical dances of the whirling dervishes. These are performances that have become fashionable in recent years –before they were a rarity confined to the interior of the monasteries of that Sufi school–, which in many cases have more of an entertainment show than authentic liturgy.
In Konya, however, semas – the name given to these rituals – can be seen with a depth not comparable to any other place in the country. And it is that this city houses the tomb of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, the founder of Sufi mysticism in the 13th century. For that reason, Konya is a holy city, the spiritual heart of Turkey and a beautiful village where few travelers stop, situated as it is in the center of Anatolia, far from the beaten path.
In fact, visiting Rumi’s grave is one of the main reasons to stop in Konya. It has been converted into a museum known as Mevlana (Rumi’s nickname, meaning “Our Guide”), and is distinguishable from many corners of the city by its rocket-shaped fluted dome paved with turquoise tiles inscribed with Qur’anic inscriptions. It is the lighthouse with which to orient yourself around the population.
Born in present-day Afghanistan, Rumi lived between 1207 and 1273, and was an Islamic scholar, theologian, and poet who has transcended the centuries. His poems are still read all over the world today, since Sufi mysticism happens to be the least exclusive of the interpretive schools of Islam. Some of his reflections are more than valid eight hundred years after they were formulated, such as the one that asks himself: “When will you stop adoring and loving the pitcher? When will you start looking for the water?â€
In Rumi’s tomb one must behave as in a mosque. It is compulsory to take off your shoes and women must cover their heads. The atmosphere of respect and devotion is absolute.
Konya has a good handful of additional attractions that encourage stopping in it for several days. There are other museums in the city. One of the most notable is that of ceramics, although the archaeological and the Koyunoglu –actually a private collection that contains a bit of everything– are also notable. The Museum of Tombstones is stunning, and even if you don’t understand the Arabic and Persian inscriptions, the carefully carved narrow columns topped by turbans, feces and hats are delightful.
Another haven of peace and beauty is the Aladdin Keykubad Mosque, a contemporary Seljuk sultan of Mevlana. It is an Arab-style temple completed in 1221 and designed by an architect from Damascus with an impressive porticoed entrance and a single, large, meticulously decorated dome.
Those who want activities more linked to earthly pleasures, have an interesting hammam where they can undergo a bath, massage and pounding; or the butterfly garden located on the outskirts, for a few hours in ecstasy before a rainbow of insects. At dusk, it is worth finding out when the whirling dervishes will dance, an unforgettable experience regardless of religious denomination (even if it is not of any).
Shoppers and gluttons have additional incentives in Konya. Its bazaar is a delight lined with shops offering some of Turkey’s finest handicrafts. And a battery of restaurants are reputed to offer the best gastronomy in the country (although it is also the strictest place in the observance of Ramadan, so on those days of daytime fasting even Western visitors will have some difficulty finding establishments open before Sunday). the sunset).
Konya is three hours by bus from Ankara and 10 from Istanbul. It can be a strategic stop when going to or coming back from Cappadocia.
