Sheb-i-Aruz (Revolving Dervish Festival) — The Mevlana Festival in Konya takes place annually from December 7 to 17 and is dedicated to the great philosopher and poet Jalaladdin Rumi, nicknamed Mevlana (our overlord) (Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, 1207—1273).
A founder of unorthodox Islam, Mevlana saw the light of day in what is now Afghanistan and died in Konya, the center of the Seljuk state, but the honor of being considered the birthplace of Jalaladdin Rumi is disputed by Turkey, Pakistan and India. Rumi's extensive literary heritage includes — poems and theological treatises. Rumi gained great fame thanks to the formation of the legendary Mawlawi Order, whose members sought to achieve unity with God through the dance of Sam, the same age as the Universe.
Every year, in December, the followers of Jalaladdin Rumi have a dance ceremony in memory of their teacher. This action attracts more than a million spectators and pilgrims, because the very atmosphere of its holding puts you in a sublime mood.
The sacrament of ancient dance, in which music, movements and spells merge together, lasts three hours. Before each segment of it, the monks approach their mentor (sheikh) in order to receive his blessing. Then, to the sounds of drums and reed flutes, they indulge in dance meditation, gradually falling into ecstasy.
The first round of the Self tells about Allah's creation of the Sun and stars, the second — plants, the third and last — animate creatures. In conclusion, the ritual participants enter the round arena, raising their right hand to receive celestial energy and lowering their left to charge themselves physically, and proceed to the most colorful and complex part of the show —, a continuous counterclockwise rotation of a double nature.
The dancers circle both around their axis and along the perimeter of the hall at the same time, like planets near their star. Either accelerating or slowing down the pace, the artists seem to float above the stage, and at the end of the bright performance they lock themselves in their cells again.
According to the assurances of the ceremonial managers, each of its details means abstract concepts, and the truth can be revealed to an inquisitive observer. However, the house-museum of Celaladdin Rumi is remarkable not only for its tanura, as this mystical dance is otherwise called (in addition to Konya, it can also be seen in the monasteries (tekke) of Istanbul), but also for its outstanding architecture.
The main entrance to Jalaladdin Rumi's house is called «Gate of Dervishes». Through them you can get to the «Rose Garden», which previously belonged to the palace of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat. A spring for ablution, built by order of Selim I in the early 16th century, is still gurgling here. Konya's calling card was the green tower, gracefully crowning the memorial temple.
According to experts, the «Mevlana» complex is one of the most impeccable architectural creations.