Whirling Dervishes Festival - Konya, Turkey
Every December millions of people flock to Konya in Turkey to celebrate the Whirling Dervishes Festival. Its very name conjures up a spiritual ceremony and meditative dance. This festival is performed at the Museum of Mevlâna in Konya. It is held yearly to honour Mevlâna Celaleddin Rumi, the great Anatolian philosopher and teacher. This mystic of Islam taught the importance of thinking positively, tolerance and being aware of God through love. The dances, which are over 700 years old, are performed every year on the 10th to17th December, the week prior to the anniversary of the Mevlâna’s death. He also believed that a greater union with God could be found through dance.
At the beginning of the Whirling Dervishes Festival the dancers begin by marching around the hall three times. Each march represents something different in reference to the knowledge of God, seeing God and the truth of unity. The Whirling Dervishes are quite beautiful to behold as they whirl around with their long white skirts which spin wide open. Especially beautiful is the reed flute (known as the ney) as it mystically creates a meditative aura making you feel the music becoming part of you.
This dance is quite an astounding feat of endurance for the dancers themselves. Great symbolism is attached to the dance as well as through the dance attire. The cone shaped hat is supposed to represent a gravestone, their cloaks represent a coffin, and the white skirt is meant as a shroud. This entire dance, when put altogether is supposed to symbolize a union with God because the ego has died. The dancers raise their right hand up to receive the goodness of God, and the left-hand points down in order to distribute this goodness to the earth. As a spectator you can’t help being caught up in the spiritual and moving atmosphere of this beautiful festival.
The Festival tends to be quite a large one for all of the local people of Konya even during the usual sub-zero temperatures. There are posters publicising the festival hanging from shop window which are colourfully laden with figurines and Dervish lamp-stands throwing light and colour into the cold air. Muslims and non-Muslims are all welcome to see the Whirling Dervishes perform their most ancient of dances. Women are requested to bring a headscarf and cover themselves respectfully and tend to be seated apart from the men during the ceremonies. If you ever fancy seeing the Whirling Dervishes I am told you need to book early!
