fbpx

Rumi Commemoration Tours

Last Updated on May 2, 2019

Each year in December, commemoration ceremonies are held in Konya, Turkey, for Seb-i Aruz (SHEB-ee ah-ROOZ), commemorating Jelaleddin Rumi (Mevlana), the great 13th-century Sufi (Islamic mystic) poet, founder of the Mevlevi (Whirling) Dervish order.

Rumi’s death on December 17th is considered his “wedding night,” the night he departed this earthly life and was finally united in love with the Divine.

Many readers of my guidebooks and travelers who use TurkeyTravelPlanner.com have asked me about attending the Rumi ceremoniesand seeing the dervishes whirl in Konya, Rumi’s home city.

In the past, it has been difficult for me to help, as hotel rooms and seats on flights to and from Konya are in great demand and fully booked far in advance for the commemoration ceremonies.

Argeus Tourism & Travel has now organized a travel program to Turkey that centers on the commemoration ceremonies in Konya, and also visits Cappadocia. December 2007 is the 800th anniversary of Rumi’s death. But note: you must reserve your place(s) by September 2007!! The 2007 program will be filled early, and it will almost certainly be impossible to find any sort of hotel room in Konya thereafter.

Argeus has reserved hotel rooms and flights for participants, making it possible—easy!—for non-Turks to attend. More…

Although I am not organizing this tour, I’ll personally be with you in Konya to help you understand the significance of Rumi, his place in Seljuk Turkish society, and in the world at large.

If you’d rather go to Konya on your own, Argeus can make all the necessary flight, hotel, and other travel service arrangements for you. Email them…

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. I am not organizing or operating this tour. It is being organized and operated by Argeus Tourism & Travel, a reputable Turkish company. (I am not a travel agent or tour operator, and my company, Travel Info Exchange, Inc., does not operate any tours, and is not responsible for tours operated by other companies. My role is as guest expert on Argeus‘s tours.)

Please make your reservations and ask your questions about this tour directly with Argeus.

2. Space is limited—it will be a small group—so please reserve early if you want to participate. Argeus has reserved a limited number of flight seats, hotel rooms and commemoration service tickets, and it will be difficult to get any of these items later, so please reserve your places as soon as possible.

I’ve attended the Rumi commemoration ceremonies several times, and each time I have found them spellbinding and uplifting: the orchestra plays, the chorus chants and the Mevlevi dervishes whirl as people from dozens of countries near and far, rich and poor, Islamicand non-Islamic, sit and silently bear witness.

Every year the commemoration ceremonies reaffirm that we are all one people, and that we can and should live together in harmony no matter what our background or beliefs.

Rumi’s message of peace, love, tolerance and acceptance is as vital and urgently necessary today as it was in the time of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, when Rumi lived.

I hope you can join us for this spellbinding, unforgettable event. I look forward to meeting you.

—Tom Brosnahan


Rumi Tour: Konya & Cappadocia

Whirling (Mevlevi) Dervishes

The Whirling Ceremony (Sema)

Jelaleddin Rumi (Mevlana)

Seljuk Sultanate of Rum

Konya

Cappadocia

Istanbul

Argeus Tourism & Travel

Visit our Facebook group:

Best Travel Agencies