The Sufi Path of Love: Mevlana

When Turks arrived to Anatolia in the 11th century, philosophers like Mevlana Cellaledin-i Rumi (Jalal ad-Din Rumi), Hacı Bektaş Veli, and their disciples, dexteriously combined elements of Islam and the traditional Turkish culture. The soil of Anatolia, where they also had access to ancient sources and beliefs, was the perfect place for these ideas to integrate.

The full name of Mevlana, the 13th-century Sufi poet, was Celaleddin-i Rumi. He is considered one of the world’s great mystic philosophers, and his poetry and religious writings are among the most beloved and respected in Islam and beyond. Sema, the whirling dervish ceremony is credited to Rumi and has become a part of Turkish customs, history, beliefs, and culture. The Sema ceremony represents the mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to perfection.

Konya, one of Türkiye’s most important pilgrimage centers, is the location of the former lodge (dergah) of the whirling dervishes and home to the Mevlana’s Mausoleum. The mausoleum and the former lodge can now be visited as a museum by visitors of all faith.

The Mevlevi Lodge of İstanbul, located in Galata, is the oldest Mevlevi Lodge of İstanbul. It was built in 1491. The lodge was built as a complex and contained rooms and spaces for Sufi chanting, dervish cells, quarters for the master (şeyh), a special prayer (namaz) area for the sultan, a section for female members, a library, a fountain for the public, a clock room, a kitchen, mausoleums, and an enclosed graveyard.

You can embark on this spiritual journey by visiting the major Mevlevi lodges (Dergahs) located in different parts of Türkiye.