Whirling Dervishes Ceremony Cappadocia
Tour Information
ITINERARY
Overview
The whole whirling dervishes ceremony takes around to three hours and we offer ‘Serbet’, a religious drink, after the ceremony. Turkish Heritage Travel picks you up from your hotel in Goreme or other towns of Cappadocia half an hour earlier, which will give you enough time to see the parts of the caravanserai prior to the ceremony.
The rate of the ceremony is from $60 per person including transfer. Contact us to book the famous Whirling Dervish ceremony in Cappadocia.
HISTORY & INFORMATION ABOUT THE WHIRLING DERVISHES CEREMONY
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).
Contemporary science definitely confirms that the fundamental condition of our existence is to revolve. There is no object, no being which does not revolve. Everything whirls and man, a whirling dervish, carries on his life, his very existence by means of the revolution in the atoms, structural elements in his body, by the circulation of his blood, by his coming from the Earth and return to it, by his revolving with the Earth itself.
The Sema (whirling dervishes) ceremony represents all a mystical journey of man’s spiritual ascent through love, finding the truth, and arriving at the “Perfect”. Then he returns from this spiritual journey as a man who reached maturity and a greater perfection, so as to love and to be of service to the whole creation, to all creatures without discriminating in regard to belief, class, or race.
The dervish with his hat (his ego’s tombstone), and his white skirt (his ego’s shroud) are spiritually born to the truth. When he removes his black cloak, he journeys and advances to spiritual maturity through the stages of the Sema. At the beginning and each stage of the Sema holding his arms crosswise, he represents number one and testifies to God’s unity.
While whirling his arms are open, his right hand directed to the sky ready to receive God’s beneficence, gazing his left hand turned toward the earth for giving what he received to poor, he turns from right to leave, pivoting around the heart. This is his way of conveying God’s spiritual gift to the people upon whom God ”looks with a Divine” watchfulness. Revolving around the heart, from right to left, he embraces all of humankind, all the creation with affection and love.
CARAVANSERAIS AND SARUHAN (SARIHAN)
Whirling Dervishes ceremonies are performed in Sarihan Caravanserai every night. Trade across Turkey in medieval Seljuk times was dependent on camel trains (kervan, anglicized as caravan), which stopped by night in inns known as kervansaray (caravanserai), literally ”caravan palaces”. These buildings provided accommodation and other amenities for the merchants and stabling for their animals.
During the reign of the Anatolian Seljuk sultans Kilicarslan II (1155-1192) and Alaaddin Keykubat I (1220-1237), a large number of kervansarays were built and security measures along the Silkroad and other trade roads increased. The state not only built kervansarays but compensated merchants who were attacked or robbed, providing a kind of insurance system. As a result, both domestic and international trade expanded. Foreign merchants who came to Anatolia enjoyed extensive rights and reductions on customs duties.
All merchants of whatever nationality were provided with food and beverages free of charge for three days. Their shoes were repaired and new shoes were given to the poor. Treatment was available for the sick, animals were cared for and shoed if necessary. Each kervansaray employed a physician, imam (priest), innkeeper, superintendent of provisions, veterinary surgeon, blacksmith, and cook to provide these services.
The caravanserais of Cappadocia were built of hewn volcanic stone, and their walls were thick and high so that they would be safe from raids by robbers. The decoration was concentrated on the great portals which display the finest examples of Seljuk stone carving. The portal doors were made of iron to repel intruders.
Sarihan, situated 15 km from Goreme, on the east of Avanos, is on the banks of the Damsa brook. It faces west and consists of an indoor area with five naves and a courtyard. Sari Han is considered to have been built in 1249. It had a Turkish bath and a masjid over the gatehouse and its external area (excluding the towers and portal) is 2,000 square meters. After the restoration process, it represents the best example of Anatolian caravanserais.
Tour Program
We pick you up from your hotel at 05:30 pm or 08:30 pm for the semazen ceremony by private minibus. A Semazen show is being staged in an old caravanserai dating back to 1249 AD. it makes more sense to watch the 760-year-old dance in an old building from that time. The ceremony lasts 1 hour. During the ceremony, you can not clap and take pictures, but at the end of the ceremony, 2 minutes are allotted for taking photos. Then we will transfer you back to your hotel
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Amendments and Cancellations by Clients
1. Clients can cancel at any time. The cancellation will be effective as at the time that Elite Turkey Tours receives a written request from the Agent or for direct bookings from the Client, and the following cancellation charges will apply.
1. More than 50 days prior to departure – 65% of the product cost or 40 GBP, whichever is higher.
2. 48 to 45 days prior to departure – 75% of the product cost or 40 GBP, whichever is higher.
3. 40 to 35 days prior to departure – 85% of the product cost or 40 GBP, whichever is higher.
4. 0 to 35 days prior to departure – no refund is given.
5. No refund is given for a partially used Product.
2. After the booking has been confirmed proposed amendments must be written by ‘the Lead Client’ and will incur an administration fee of equivalent to GBP 30.00 except for the first change that will incur no fee or as otherwise agreed. No requested change can be guaranteed.
3. If any number of the party is prevented from travelling because of death, injury or serious illness of the client, close relative or friend, redundancy or jury service, it may be possible to transfer the booking to another suitable person or departure date or tour of similar standard and cost provided that written notice is confirmed by Elite Turkey Tours.
4. If a refund is payable by Elite Turkey Tours to the Client, the refund amount will be calculated according to the conditions set out in Section 2.1 and with consideration of evidence of exceptional circumstances. All bank fees incurred for processing/transferring the credited amount to the client will be the responsibility of the client.
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