Ashki Page

Moulana is buried in an elaborate tomb inside the Asithane or Mother Tekke now turned into a museum. Although he wanted a simple Muslim grave the Sultans felt that he should have something better. In the Ottoman period a large Tekke (Dervish Ceremonial Retreat Center) was built. The dervishes created an initiatory system of common tasks such as the coffee-maker and the cook that promoted both submission and spiritual evolution. The most familiar image of Mevlana is mostly a modern creation based upon the elaborate costumes worn during the Ottoman periods. In his time he probably wore a small skull cap with a turban around it. His actual garments are in the museum in Konya as is a hat worn it is said by Shemsi Tabriz.

The other familiar image of the Mevlevi Dervishes is the Whirling Ceremony or Mukkabele. This is now performed once a year in the new Mevlana Center in Konya. Traditional musical instruments such as Kudum (small kettle drum set), Ney (end blown reed flute) and so on are used in a four part ceremony which uses the poetry of Rumi in Persian set to a musical Makam (mode).