How did we decide to go to Konya, a working city in the
middle of nowhere? The Whirling Dervish museum attracted us and we were told tourists were
rather obscure here (that itself was a draw). And bonus! It would provide a break in the 9
hour bus ride from Pamukkale to Goreme.
We had also read about it in a couple of non-travel books
and our ticket agent happened to mention it. The best thing was that Konya was
geographically and culturally different from the rest of Turkey we experienced. Konya was
also the most conservative city that we visited in Turkey; it was quite religious and the
majority of the women walking around had their heads covered.
We met a guy named Mehmet on the bus getting here...we were
quite used to all sorts of social interactions on buses by now. We're still not sure what
to think about him. We liked him, but he shadowed us the entire day we were there. And
surprise, he owned a carpet shop! It was strange. Definitely nice having a local show us
around but at the same time we didn't know his motivations: if it was a ploy to make us
want to buy a carpet from him or if he was as bored as he said he was and enjoyed
practicing his English and talking to travelers. We had heard that in Konya tourists were
one of the sites, so it is possible.
The Selimiye Mosque was the first "active" mosque
that we had been allowed inside. The mosques in Morocco were forbidden to non-Islams, so
it was nice to be able to check one out. We had to remove our shoes before we stepped up
on the rugs, and I (Kelly) had to cover my head with a scarf. Mehmet opened the heavy
cloth door covering so we could enter on the right (one always enters and exits on the
right). It was Friday, which is Holy Day to Muslims, so it was quite crowded. We placed
our shoes in a wooden cubby-hole and walked around. The elaborate star pattern painted on
the inside of the dome ceiling was echoed on the carpet below it. Same colors and all.
There was a separate area at the back of the mosque behind the cubby-holes for women to
pray. Inscriptions high on the walls showed the names of the prophets, the primary being
Mohammed of course. Bits and passages from the Koran were also framed. We asked Mehmet
what was behind a small door to the right and learned it was a library so students could
study Arabic and the Koran. Many Turks, unlike the Moroccans, only know enough Arabic to
read the Koran...and most have it memorized. The arches resembled the striped ones we had
seen in the cathedral/mosque in Cordoba, Spain.
We had to leave the mosque as it was nearly time for the
mid-day call to prayer. We were fortunate enough to be there on Friday to witness it; the
mosque is usually so crowded that several hundred men are forced on the carpets outside to
pray. We were able to stand off to the side and observe the entire thing unnoticed. The
men would get up, get down, look left, kneel, and rise again. Several times in unison. It
was really fascinating.
Adjacent to the mosque was the Mevlana Museum and religious
grounds, so we popped in there right afterwards. Mevlana was a chief Turkish scholar and
poet in early 13th century, and still held in high regard today as one of the most
esteemed representatives of Islamic thought. His predominate themes are love, the
universal meaning of Islam and the mystical soul. In 1247 a mausoleum was built around a
rose garden to honor him. A turquoise tile "conical hat" tower was added in
1396.
Also inside the grounds was also a Whirling Dervish museum;
a shrine for the 1 million Turks who visit here each year. Mevlana was the original
Whirling Dervish: followers "whirl" around in a trance-like state that signifies
rebirth and union with god. The Whirling Dervishes who carry on the tradition today are
active only in December. There is a group who perform in Istanbul on a regular basis, but
it is for show and not religious reasons, so we heard it was rather passionless. Guess
we'll have to return in December some day.
The shrine to Rumi (Mevlana) was also inside the Museum. His
and many other sarcophagi were draped in robes. All of the women (who were not allowed
inside the Selimiye mosque during call to prayer) seemed to be inside here praying to
Mevlana's tomb instead. Once we got past the odd waxy mannequins the "slices of
Dervish life" including tools, musical instruments, and costumes were very
interesting. Old Dervish costumes, hats, kilims, and rugs were also on display. The best
part (for Kelly at least) were the ancient books. A 9th century Koran caligraphed on
gazelle skin was neat, and the elaborate 3-color + gold pages inside of the 12th and 13th
century leather-bound Korans were amazing.
The fountain inside supposedly contains an April pool of
water (more "rebirth") that Mevlana touched his turban into to heal the sick.
People were lined up to drink from it. We each took sips, and figured we would either get
really sick or begin to feel miraculously healthy.
We also went to the Koyunoglu Museum of natural history to
see a few ancient statues, stuffed birds, galleries of old carpets and kilims (a neat one
of a map of Turkey) and costumes. Mehmet was with us in this one and stated many of his
personal collection of rugs were older or more interesting than the ones on display.
Finally it was carpet time. We saw everything in Mehmet's
small store, which took forever, and then went to a cybercafe for a break. We set him up
on email, and he waited while we checked our messages. We came across a hilltop high fair
area and had cheese toast, saw an amusement park that emulated all the different regional
oddities of Turkey (Pamukkale, Goreme, Ephesus) and wandered through an underground
Wal-Mart-like department store. And then we were off. Caught an evening bus to Goreme,
land of the "fairy chimneys."
"Don't be satisfied with stories that come before
you, unfold your own myth." --Mevlana Rumi
