Sema show to be held at Istanbul’s Galata lodge

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Sema (whirling dervish dance) will be performed at the hall of Istanbul’s Galata Dervish Lodge. Hürriyet photo

The 550-year-old sema (whirling dervish dance) hall of Istanbul’s Galata Dervish Lodge, will be home to the Şeb-i Arus event that will take place Dec. 17 for the 738th anniversary of Rumi’s death.

Culture and Tourism Ministry official Yavuz Özdemir said the Galata Lodge, the first and only original lodge in the city, was reopened Nov. 21 after a comprehensive restoration process.

He said that approximately 150-200 people visited the lodge every day since the opening and the Şeb-i Arus would be first big event in the lodge.

Ceremony of Sema group
Özdemir said the sema show would be performed by the Istanbul Sema Group, adding, “The ceremony will be the only sema ceremony that will take place in its original venue. But since the capacity is limited, there are only 150 seats available to viewers.”

He also mentioned that sema ceremonies were organized at the Galata Lodge Museum every Sunday at 4 p.m.

There will also be other organized events for Rumi’s 738th death anniversary. Among them is a ceremony organized Dec. 17 at the Silivrikapı Mevlana Culture Center. The life of Rumi will be told and dancers will perform sema at the ceremony.