Whirling Dervishes

What a spectacle of color and spirituality it is! You may not be able to understand the purpose behind sema - a Sufi ceremony aiming at a mystical union with God and religious purification - but you will certainly be hypnotized with the whirling fabric, communal recitation, controlled ecstasy, and spiritual fervor that's the inevitable part of the rite. The usual venue for Sema is Galata Mevlevihanesi, which, sadly enough, is currently closed for restoration. For the time being the Dervishes perform on Sundays at 6 pm at the Muammer Karaca Tiyatrosu just north of the Netherlands Consulate, and trust us, this is something you would not want to miss!