Description: This monastery belongs to the most famous Sufi order, the dancing Derwish. The Derwish originated from the disciples of the mystical poet and Sufi master Mevlana. The monastery and the museum next to it are hosted in 18th-century buildings.
Sufism
The Mevlevi order was founded during the 13th century, taking its name from the great Sufi mystic and poet, Celaleddin Rumi (1207-73), called Mevlana (Our Leader) by his disciples. Sufis seek mystical communion with God through various means. For Mevlana, it was through a ceremony involving music and a whirling dance. The name Sufi comes from Suf, Arabic for wool. The Sufi live a simple life without any riches and wool was cheap in the past. The Order wrote of tolerance, forgiveness, and enlightenment. They survive today as a cultural brotherhood. They are not theatrical spectacles but sacred rituals. The ritual of the Mevlevi sect, known as the sema, is a serious religious ritual performed by Muslim priests in a prayer trance to Allah.
The Mevlevi Monastery is nowadays a bit rundown. The cemetry and museum really need a restauration. Inside the modest concert hall, the central area is for the whirling sema, while the galleries above host the musicians.
Most monasteries have a problem finding young members, the Mevlevi order doesn't. It is actually a meeting place for Mevlevi dervishes and is mostly visited by young people.
Dancing Derwish
Every last Sunday of the month, a ritual dance called the sema is performed. Around 3pm, a group of Sufi monks dance themselves into a swirling ecstasy accompanied by rhythmic live music. The swirling dance is supposed to lead to a direct ecstatic link to Allah.
During the tourist season, the monks perform the ceremony more often. Check the information desk at the entrance of the monastery.
The inner garden of the monastery host a little cemetery in which, during spring and summer, beautiful flowers can be seen.
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