• The Insider
  • Planning
  • Sightseeing
  • Transportation
  • Food & Drinks
  • Going Out
  • Shopping
  • FAQ
  • Tours

Istanbul Insider

Istanbul travel guide and advice by locals.

Review of Whirling Dervishes Ceremony at Hodjapasha Cultural Center

Last updated: August 16, 2022

Last week, I decided to go and watch a ceremony of the whirling dervishes at the Hodjapasha Cultural Center. There are some places where you go and you feel you will be happy there. Hodjapasha is one of them, and here’s why.

Whirling dervishes performance at Hodjapasha Cultural Center in Istanbul, Turkey.

Finding the dance theater is very easy. All you need to do is go to the heart of Istanbul: Eminönü. You can do it by taking a tram, bus or ferry from any part of the city. It is close to the Sirkeci Marmaray station. From there you need to watch the tramline. Once it turns left, it is a sign for you to follow the straight road next to the tramline. You will see a cafeteria ‘Hafiz Mustafa’. Go past it and then turn left. Hodjapaşa is just there. Make sure to buy your tickets upfront because it tends to sell out very quickly.

Enjoy the Exhibition Prior to the Ceremony

It is an old building with a very modern twist. Purple neon lights invite tourists inside. Once you enter (after climbing some stairs – the building is not disabled-accessible), you will be faced with history and modernity. Every foreigner will feel comfortable there. The personnel speaks English and is always ready to help. It is always better to be there earlier because you can enjoy an exhibition that will provide you with some useful information before the show. I would strongly advise taking this time to read about Rumi and his philosophy.

Picture of foyer at Hodjapasha.

During the exhibition refreshing beverages are served which make it even more enjoyable (fruit drinks, tea and water are free, coffee costs extra). The language used there is simple and explains complex terminology in a very understandable way. The exhibit also contains objects that belong to dervishes, such as clothing or books. The room of the exhibition is not a very big one so make sure you come early, before it gets crowded. In addition, the place lacks a cloakroom and there is no space to store any extra luggage so take that into consideration while planning your trip.

The Venue Is an Old Hamam — A Nice Extra Touch

After the exhibition, the audience is invited to the room for the performance. I was surprised when I entered it. A modern viewer is used to big spaces and big shows so I was expecting a giant stage with lots of chairs. Instead, I saw a little oval chamber with triangular shapes curved in the walls and bath handles that remind the audience of the bathhouse it used to be. The feeling of surprise did not last long. The sema ceremony is not a show. It is a personal experience of the people who perform it. Dervishes do not do it for the audience. They are only kind enough to let the audience observe this spiritual act.

Stage or scene for Whirling Dervishes at Hodjapasha

The little chamber makes the experience more real because you are very close to the whirling dervishes. I could feel the wind from their spinning tenures on my face. The whole design and decor of the place complements the beauty and the magic of the performance. The play of light and shadow on the walls is mesmerizing. It adds to the mystical atmosphere. There are around two hundred seats in the room. You can easily experience the performance from any of them though I would say the chairs are not very comfortable. You need to stay in the same position throughout the whole performance. Interruption is strictly forbidden.

An Unforgettable Experience

The sema ceremony is preceded by a ten-minute video that explains the philosophy of Rumi. It is a very interesting and very informative piece that successfully sums up the complex ideas for an ordinary viewer. The following ceremony starts with a few minutes of music. It keeps accompanying us when the dervishes start their spiritual journey. Each part of the ceremony is explained and described so that the audience can follow what is happening in the dance. Everything lasts around one hour.

Picture of Whirling Dervishes at Hodjapasha Cultural Center in Istanbul.

Seeing whirling dervishes is an unforgettable experience. It is a must-do when visiting Istanbul. The performance will leave a forever mark in any viewer’s soul. This experience is worth so much more than the price of the ticket. Hodjapasha is one of the best places to experience the ceremony. The unique atmosphere and history that surround this place will surely help make some lovely memories. Watching the sema ceremony and reading about Rumi’s philosophy may provoke deeper thoughts about everyday life and be a start to a good change. As believed by dervishes: ‘From God we receive, to humanity we give’.

Hodjapasha Cultural Center
Ankara Caddesi Hocapaşa Hamamı Sok No: 3.B, Sirkeci — Istanbul
https://www.hodjapasha.com/en/

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission to keep the site ad free. I only recommend products and companies I use or have used.

Filed Under: Attractions, Featured #3 Tagged With: Hodjapasha, Istanbul, Sema, Sightseeing, Whirling Dervishes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Best Sellers

  • Email
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About Us

About
Contact
Frequently Asked Questions
Sitemap

Popular Attractions

Hagia Sophia
Topkapi Palace & Harem
Dolmabahçe Palace
Bosphorus Tour
Whirling Dervishes

Travel Tips

Accommodation & Locations
Airport Transportation
Istanbul Kart, Museum Pass, Tourist Pass
Public Transportation
Taxi’s in Istanbul

© 2011–2023 The Istanbul Insider – Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Affiliate Disclaimer
Istanbul Insider
Data and Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site.
Click below to consent ('Accept') to the above or make granular choices
Manage Cookie SettingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.

Your choices on this site will be applied only for this site. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by going to the Privacy Policy page of this site.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
CookieDurationDescription
_gat1 minuteThis cookies is installed by Google Universal Analytics to throttle the request rate to limit the colllection of data on high traffic sites.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gid1 dayThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form.
visitor_id5 yearsThis cookie include cookie name plus the unique identifier of the visitor account. The value stored is the unique ID of the visitor which is used for tracking the visitor.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.