I t ‘s the cardio out of Turkey. Konya, an area from so many souls, leg squats slap in the exact middle of Anatolia’s nuts plain, in the middle of unlock, endless prairie. Turkey’s really culturally traditional area, Konya seems at first to get an area out of strict headscarves and you can foreboding beards, off ostentatiously observed pieties and you will forbidden drinks. But uncovering Konya is easy – having here, at the heart of your old city, inside the tomb of turquoise ceramic tiles, was Jelaluddin Rumi.

Rumi is among the planet’s very comprehend poets. While in the their lifetime, and since their dying in the 1273, pilgrims came so you can Konya. Today, Rumi’s tomb was Turkey’s second most-visited website visitors destination after the Topkapi Castle inside the Istanbul. Rumi try a mystical, a good Sufi saint which enjoyed most of the religions, and you will whose own religion is like. Their supporters do (but still manage) treat on their own into the hypnotic trance and you will dance, either spinning such as passes throughout the day.

You will find a large, impressive new municipal auditorium where so it delicate whirling peoples dancing try did, and you can any amount of charming glossy-eyed mystics inside the carpet storage, cafes and medieval bazaars, the pleased to help you receive you to a private zikhr

This type of spinning dervishes are in fact the new icon off Turkey’s tourism ways, and you will drink beverage in your Istanbul hotel reception seeing specific poor bloke during the a high beige considered hat spinning for their activity. Towards real thing, even in the event, become heree to Konya and you also arrive at Turkey’s heart. From inside the Rumi’s terminology:

“Whoever you might be, become Even if you is generally A keen infidel, an effective pagan, otherwise a great fireworshipper, become All of our brotherhood is not certainly one of depression However provides broken Your vows from repentance a hundred minutes, already been.”

Every season as 1983, I have been coming towards the several billion-or-thus travelers whom head to Konya a year. Some are Turkish, although many Iranians (whom claim Rumi because their own, since the he published within code and you can grew up in eastern Persia) as well as result in the pilgrimage.

In place of and make Konya a stop towards the a bus concert tour, I will suggest getting for many months, soaking-up the feeling, food the Turkey’s ideal lamb, viewing the greatest Seljuk buildings and – maybe – losing crazy about Rumi. You could potentially fly inside the cheaply regarding Istanbul, from which there is also a great scruffy, atmospheric illustrate, or arrive by-road. Konya is in easy started to of one’s cavern dwellers and carpeting vendors regarding Cappadocia.

Rumi turned up here as a boy, whenever Konya got become an area for 2,000 decades. It absolutely was depending by Hittites, have been succeeded by Phrygians, then your Lydians, Persians, Cappadocians, this new kings away from Pergamon while the Romans, exactly who known as lay Iconium. Saints Paul and you can Barnabus one another preached here, however, because of the 1071 brand new Seljuks, a Turcoman group, was basically in control, as well as their architectural legacy suffers.

Its Karatay Medrese off 1251 are a masterpiece regarding elaborate tiling and you will unified domes. It is today the latest Art gallery from Tiles and sexy Iransk ung jente you may Ceramics, whose articles take care of the vibrancy and you will strike they’d when very first fired. Nearby, the latest Ince Minarali Medrese has become the Museum away from Brick and you can Timber Carving, which is way less dry than You will find managed to get voice. Those two houses whet your appetite to get the ornately tiled Sircali Medrese, additionally the breathtaking Sahip Ata mosque: rather than the majority of the fresh new Muslim community, inside the Turkey you’re motivated to check out mosques, any your own spiritual choices.

Within junction of the old town and its unappealing the fresh neighbor ‘s the Alaaddin mosque, brand new city’s vantage area, whoever gorgeous black pulpit and you may painful and sensitive prayer-specific niche are from 1155 (the complex are finished in 1221). The new boulevard radiating from this point provides that Rumi’s tomb, at which much more later on. Rumi may Turks due to the fact Mevlana (the fresh new Sainted You to), and after this Konya is during thrall in order to Mevlanamania.

When i very first emerged, Mevlana’s supporters, the fresh new Mevlevi, was in fact a blocked organization, tolerated only for their “folkloric dancing” and you may whirlings. Meetings took place secretly, dishonestly.

I mentioned dinner, as well. Konya’s mutton-centric cooking is superb. Etli ekmek are a long, narrow roll-right up pizza give which have delicately spiced mince, and you can Konya kebab try a lamb shank, most reduced roasted and you can offered for the a support out-of dough with a nice reddish onion. The best was at Konak (Restoran, Akcesme mah. Piriesat Cad. No 5, +90 332 352 85 47), whose soups and you can do-it-yourself yoghurt is heaven-generated.

Therefore, wonderfully fed, sufficient reason for of many glasses of sweet tannic beverage inside you, build your way to Rumi’s tomb. You get in on the awestruck, brand new curious together with fervent. A mystical twinkly white performs on the tombs regarding Rumi and you can his followers. The new structure is embroidered which have calligraphy, additionally the ceilings was a beneficial kaleidoscope off superbly executed arabesques. Rumi’s tomb is included when you look at the greatly padded content of gold, and appears to shine light and you may serenity and mercy.

Are common moved, having listed here is love

Some of their fellow pilgrims often comprehend Korans, while some Rumi’s poetry. Very bring images, although this is purely forbidden. You can find people who cry gently, and people who laugh aloud; people that reflect right through the day, and people who rush due to.

To relax and play quietly and you can insinuating in itself to your consciousness ‘s the ney, good reed flute. It sounds such as for example breathy air, it is really the voice from flame, and that rises and you can drops into the us all. This is simply not specific sullen religious moaning, however the voice from wanting, off communion, of one’s cardiovascular system. You’ve got they – it’s spirit music, and it also very supplies you with. So already been.

Turkish Airlines (020-7471 6666) flies in order to Konya through Istanbul regarding Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester, away from ?219 rtn inc fees. Istanbul to help you Konya because of the railway costs from all around ?24 get back, or about ?thirty-six get back by the shuttle. Hotel Balikcilar have room or about ?70 (and get caters to cooler drinks). Resort Dergah (+90 332 351 76 61) bedroom as much as ?20. Entry observe the brand new whirling dervishes is actually without new visitors office, at the rear of Mevlana’s tomb. Mete Horzum within SeleneTour (+90 532 564 9192, ) organizes private whirling and you will zikhr regarding ?30pp.