Tips for travel to Konya, Turkey for a traveller interesting in the spiritual practices of the Dervishes

November 10, 2004 10:44 PM

Konya, Turkey and the Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi: a friend is travelling there in December, and is interested in the spiritual practices of the Dervishes. Any tips for independent travellers? Anyone also going there about then?
posted by dash_slot- to Travel & Transportation around Konya, Turkey (4 answers total)

I've looked at this nifty everything Turkey site by an expert with some information on Dervishes and Konya. I have an English-speaking Turkish friend in Istanbul who gave me a Dervish music CD. Email me if you want some samples.
posted by planetkyoto at 1:50 AM on November 11, 2004

THe Galataseray Mevlevi Tekke in Istanbul, near Tunel station in Galata, has services with twirling once a month. Check the Jeremy Seal's A Fez of the Heart for stuff on Konya.

Don't know much about Mevlevi, but Istanbul has lots of Alevi and Bektash dervishes who hang around at Alevi Bars" near Istiklal Caddesi playing saz music and drinking arak while singing 700 year old hymns. Pretty cool folks, the Alevi.
posted by zaelic at 3:54 AM on November 11, 2004

Not much help here, but I did pass through Konya a few years ago on an adventure travel trip. My impressions of the city itself are not great (but I loved the rest of my trip). It seemed ultra-conservative and the people seemed hostile, a big change from the other experiences I'd had to date.

It's probably wise to always keep in mind that Konya is a religious centre and act accordingly.

The major mosque/shrine in Konya was very impressive though, and well worth seeing.
posted by smcniven at 7:47 AM on November 11, 2004

Response by poster: Thanks, guys!
posted by dash_slot- at 1:02 PM on November 11, 2004