The Early Winter Night at Capadocia’s Sarı Han Caravanserai near Avanos, November 2006
Sunday, January 18th, 2009If I remember correctly, I was the only non-Muslim of the tour group that followed the night trip to this Caravanserai to watch the the ritual or ceremony of Mevlana’s whirling dervishes. There were probably about 15 of us, mostly Muslim, went to this Caravanserai. My wife and son and probably 20 others in the tour group decided to stay in the hotel and to prepare to wake up early for tomorrow hot air balloon experience.
It was the early or mid November of 2006, early winter. I wrote in my earlier incomplete travelogue post, highlights of my Turkiye trip:
In a chilling winter night, at this remote 800 year-old caravanserai near Avanos, we watched the ritual or ceremoney of Mevlana’s whirling dervishes. (Mevlana’s teaching) This photo of the caravanserai was taken at about 10pm-11pm, after the ceremony. It was a cold and serene night of early winter. I watched with deep respect to the ritual.
After more than two years, I was unable to complete my travelogue and my memory of this cherished trip is slowly faded away. I love this land, Turkiye or as they called, Anatolia, very much. I just unwilling to forget or accept a blurred faded memory of this beautiful land and beautiful culture and people.
I searched the net to find the name of this Caravanserai, Sari Han Caranserai.
Looking at the architecture. I am very sure SariHan is the Caravanserai that I visited.
Caravanserai served as lodging place for the travellers at yore. Sarihan Caravanserai was part of the Silk Road. The Ottoman Sultans collected tax from the traders when they entered the country. In exchange, the Sultans provided free lodging to these traders. In today words, these are international trade.
It was an extremely quiet night at Avanos. Once the bus engine stopped, all you could hear was quietness. People talked softly. The dervishes songs/ chants were clear and distinct from the background quietness.
This was the hall where the dervishes performed their whirling ritual. It began with plain single vocal. We could hear the echo and it was mesmerizing. Then, the musical instruments joined in. There were some woodwinds, strings (something like a ancient version of guitar) & drums. Very simple background music, though not simple melody.
Then the Whirling Dervishes started to whirl, probably entered into a kind of trance.
The performers were, as I was told, the direct descendants & disciples of Mevlana. There was at least a university professor in the 4-5 whirling dervishes. There were, if I remember correctly, 5-7 musicians playing the ancient musical instruments.
From the little I know, I think Mevlana’s whirling dervishes are not part of Islamic’s sect. The performers are probably Muslims but carry on with the Mevlana’s culture. In today perspectives Mevlana’s Whirling Dervishes movement are peace activists. Mevlana, when he was alive, promoted peace among religions and ethnics. He believed music and dances are the keys to enable people to forget about differences and to live in peace with each other.
In Turkiye, Ataturk banned all religions sects. I supposed it is still illegal to have religion’s rituals until recently. We were not allowed to take photo of the Whirling Dervishes.
Before the bus left for Hotel, I rushed to the left side of the Caravanserai to take this photo. The night was cold, very cold.
This is the map and the location of Sari Han Caravanserai.
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caravanserai, serihan, avanos, Mevlana, whirling dervishes, Ottoman, Turkey, Turkiye