This unique traditional ritual had been proclaimed as Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005. The Mevlevi is a Sufi order in Konya Province, Turkey known for their practice of whirling as a form of remembrance of God. The semazen opens both arms to the sides and revolves from right to left, expressing his embrace of the entire universe. “Dervish” – literally meaning “doorway” – is a common term for an initiate of Sufism who is considered as a bridge between the spiritual and material worlds, while the act of whirling is the climax of the Sema ceremonies. A dervish practices multiple rituals, the primary of which is the dhikr, a remembering of Allah. This ceremony (sema) can be witnessed by visitors just like you. In 2008, Mevlevi whirling dance was declared a UNESCO Heritage of Humanity. The Mevlevi Order or Mawlawiyya (Turkish: Mevlevilik or Mevleviyye; Persian: طریقت مولویه‎) is a Sufi order that originated in Konya (modern-day Turkey; formerly capital of the Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate) and which was founded by the followers of Jalaluddin Muhammad Balkhi Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and Islamic theologian.

Whirling dervish ceremony should be on your lists of things to see in Istanbul.

It is someone living a Sufi Muslim ascetic way or "Tariqah". This unique element of Turkish culture and UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage dates back to the 13th century and is largely associated with contemporary mystic poet and Sufi master Jelaleddin Rumi.

With the number of tourists visiting their ceremony it has almost become almost an iconic image for Turkey’s capital city. This dhikr is coupled with physical exertions of movement, specifically dancing and whirling, in order to reach a state assumed by outsiders to be one of "ecstatic trances".

The Whirling Dervishes. Currently, the dervish whirling has been declared as UNESCO Heritage of Humanity. Whirling dervish ceremony should be on your lists of things to see in Istanbul. It is what we do as a form of remembrance of God. Incorporating dance, symbolic attire, and music, the performance symbolizes the mystic cycle to reach perfection and is recognized on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Matthew C. Wright/ Flickr After the procession, the semazen begins the Sema, which consists of four selams or musical movements. Sema (Whirling dervishes ceremony), is the inspiration of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi (1207 - 1273) as well as part of the Turkish culture, belief and history in Konya.It symbolizes the different meanings of a mystic cycle to perfection (Ascension - Mirac). Whirling Dervishes performing the Sema. Turkey's Whirling Dervishes (02:02) Dating from the thirteenth century, the Sema ritual performed by the Semezens from the Mevlevi Order of Whirling Dervishes is a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Whirling Dervishes is not a theatrical performance as one might expect; in fact, it is a religious ceremony that involves chanting and dancing.

Whirling dervishes Whirling Dervishes took their name from Jelaleddin Rumi (1207-1273), the mystical poet and great Sufi master, called Mevlana (our leader) by his disciples. With the number of tourists visiting their ceremony it has almost become almost an iconic image for Turkey’s capital city. The city’s first Sufi lodge, the Galata Mevlevihanesi was established in 1491 and was used as a school from 1925 onwards when … They are poor, and live simply. The Whirling Dervish's synchronised dance was confirmed by UNESCO in 2008 as among the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of … Description Experience the soul-stirring ceremony of the Sama, the practice of the whirling dervishes. Each selam has its own distinct rhythm, and explores different religious themes.
However, the dervish is much more than a visual spectacle, dating back over 700 years as part of Sufism and the Mevlevi Order.