October 29, 2008 7:30 PM
Rumi and the Whirling Dervishes from Turkey
All those who gathered delighted in an evening of mystical love poetry, sacred music, and prayerful whirling movement in this interfaith program, featuring whirling dervishes and musicians from Rumi’s own Turkish Mevlevi Sufi Order, headed by his direct descendant.
Recognized as one of the greatest mystics and poets of Islam, Rumi attracts spiritual seekers from almost every religion in the world, inviting them into the mystical realm of Sufism. The audience experienced this inspired spiritual leader and great lover of humanity in the poetry and whirling dance of the Mevlevi Sufi Order of Turkey, founded by Rumi’s son. Faruk Celebi Efendi, a direct descendant of Rumi, leads the Order and offered opening remarks. Rumi’s poetry and a troupe of whirling dervishes were joined by singers and musicians for this extraordinary interfaith experience. “Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, idolator, worshipper of fire…” Rumi had written, and those who did witnessed an extraordinary evening.
Faruk Celebi Efendi is the head of the 800-year-old Mevlevi Sufi Order of Turkey based in Rumi’s adopted home town of Konya. Peter Rogen, the reader-in-English, is a Shakespearean trained actor who gives acclaimed readings of Rumi’s poetry in New York and Miami. Nuri Simsekler, the reader-in-Farsi, is head of the Rumi Society and an assistant professor at Konya Selcuk University in Turkey.
This program was made possible in part with the support of the mayor and the city of Konya, Turkey and the International Mevlana Foundation.