In a Whirl at the Rumi Festival
"Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving. It doesn't matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair."
Jalaluddin Rumi
The 13th-century Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi (Mevlâna) is all but considered a saint.
Since the death of Rumi in 1273, the Mevlevi order has commemorated his life. I took an adventure filled journey to capture the celebrations in the Turkish city of Konya
One of the world’s great mystic philosophers, his poetry and religious writings are among the most beloved and respected in Islam and well beyond.
Rumi was a scholar, who taught peace, love and tolerance, and eventually gained a large following.
Sema is the inspiration of Rumi as well as a part of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture. The Sema ceremony represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to perfection.
"I am a third-generation whirling dervish. I have been whirling since I was 14 years old. Mevlâna is a great poet and scholar who brought light to humanity. The Mathnawi books are not just for Muslims, they are for everyone and they take you on a voyage into your heart."
Mithat Ozcakil
SEMA
The dervish is spiritually born to the truth: by removing the black cloak, he advances to spiritual maturity through the stages of the Sema.
I was transfixed about the idea of patterns and I started to research, and began to see patterns not only in nature but in our actions in everyday life. I even started to recognise patterns in my emotional and personal life. I was interested in how we all create patterns in our lives, consciously and unconsciously.
The Mevlana Museum
The sarcophagus of Mevlâna is located under the green dome, or Kibab'ulaktab. It is covered with brocade, embroidered in gold with verses from the Koran. This, and all other covers, was a gift from Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1894.
