Day 01
Whirling Dervishes Ceremony in a Historic Rock-Cut Cave
- We will meet at the designated meeting point in Göreme. Please note that if you are staying in a different town, kindly inform me when making your reservation. From there, we will visit one of the ancient historical caves to witness the dervishes. The place itself is amazing and has such an interesting history.
- I have studied dervishes and Sufism so I can explain them better to visitors.
- You can watch performances in various locations, but the most important thing is to understand why they are performed and the symbols behind them. I am happy to share all of this with you.
- This is not a fun, lively, touristy show; it is a spiritual performance by dervishes, showcasing their meditation ceremony and how it leads to nirvana.
- Whirling dervish ceremonies began as a form of meditation by Jalaluddin Rumi, the famous Sufi Muslim mystic and poet, in the 13th century. Persia-born Rumi, who was living in Konya, then the capital of the Turkish Seljuk Empire, told his followers, "There are many roads that lead to God. I have chosen the one of dance and music." He would fast, meditate, and then dance to reach a state of unparalleled enlightenment. Inspired by him, other sects spread his dance, known as the sema, throughout the Ottoman Empire. By the 15th century, the order had established rules for the ritual to maintain its many traditions.
- At the end of the ceremony, we will have a dervish drink and then return to the hotel.
