History of the Whirling Dervish
The story of the creation of this unique form of dhikr (or devotion) is that Rumi was walking through a marketplace one day when he happened to hear the rhythmic hammering of the gold-beaters. It is believed within the beating sounds he heard “la ilaha ilallah” (no god but Allah) and he was so entranced in happiness on hearing this that he stretched out both his arms and began spinning in a circle. With this the practices of the Whirling Dervishes was born.
TheWhirling Dervish Ceremony
The ceremony which is commonly performed today represents an entire mystical journey, a spiritual ascent through love in which the Dervish deserts his ego, finds the truth and arrives at “the perfect”
The practice of these ceremonies are performed in traditional dress consisting of a tennure (a sleeveless white frock) a destegül (a long sleeved jacket) a belt, and a black overcoat or khirqa which is removed before the whirling begins. As the ritual dance starts, the Dervish dons a sikke (a felt cap) in addition to a turban wrapped around the head (a trademark of the Mevlevi order) The sheikh leads the ritual with strict regulations.
To begin, the sheikh stands in the most honored corner of the dancing place and the Dervishes pass by him 3 times, each time exchanging greetings until the circling movement starts. The dance of the Dervishes is one of the most impressive features of the mystical life in Islam and the music accompanying it is of exquisite beauty. It begins with the great hymn in honor of the Prophet (written by Jalālad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī himself) and ending with a prayer for the peace of the souls of all the Prophets and all believers. After the completion of the ceremony the Dervishes return silently to their rooms for meditation.
The entire ceremony lasts approximately 45 minutes and as this is a deeply religious ceremony, the taking of photographs during the display is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.
Transport to Saruhan Whirling Dervish Ceremony
Limited free return transportation from Göreme bus station is available to the Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Carevanserai (approximately 15km from Göreme) but this has to be reserved, if available, when booking. If this is not available then FreeZone Travel can arrange private return transport directly from your hotel at an additional charge (taxi for a maximum of 4 passengers will cost approx. 60TRY for the round trip)