How many of us really liked the movie Jodhaa Akbar.. may be a handful of people. But if I ask how many of us liked the song "Khwaja mere Khwaja..." most of us would say that they liked the song... what was it about the song that so many people liked it.. was it the music, the picturization or the words.. well i would say non of these things alone can be said as the only reason for the song to be a great work of art & in making it so spiritual....
During the movie when I saw the dance it reminded me of something that I had seen before and then there was no stopping I just couldn't sleep till I figured out what is that ritual or for some of us the dance called...
After lot of research and checking various websites I finally found the description and meaning of this ritual/dance form.
During the movie when I saw the dance it reminded me of something that I had seen before and then there was no stopping I just couldn't sleep till I figured out what is that ritual or for some of us the dance called...
After lot of research and checking various websites I finally found the description and meaning of this ritual/dance form.
"The Whirling Dervishes trace their origin to the 13th century Ottoman Empire. They are also known as the Mevlevi Order and are Sufi, a spiritual offshoot of Islam. Today entertainers, not true Sufi perform most of the shows. Nevertheless, the performances are amazing and the concentration and training required to be able to spin for hours on end is immense.
The dance originates from the Sufi religion. The word Sufi is translated from the Arabic work Suf meaning wool or others believe from the Greek word 'sophos' meaning wisdom. There are also two fables on how the dance began. The first is when Rumi was walking through the goldsmith area of Konya in Turkey. He heard beautiful music in the craftsmen's hammering and began to turn in harmony. The second is the story of a tradesman spinning wool from a bale onto a spindle. In order to prevent the wool from breaking, the spinning movement had to be continuous from the right to the left hand.
The dance is called the Sema and begins with the Dervish extending their arms, the right palm up and the left palm down which could be related to the wool spinning fable. The mystic interpretation is that the power of the heavens enters into the upward extended right palm and passes through the body and leaves the lower left palm to enter into the Earth. The left leg should never be raised. The spinning represents the axis of the planets around the sun.
The word Dervish literally means doorway. He is a mystical dancer who stands between the material and cosmic worlds. Traditionally, the Dervishes start by wearing black cloaks symbolizing tombs, upon removal, so they remove themselves from the world. The purpose of the ritual whirling is to empty himself of all distracting thoughts, placing himself in a trance, his body conquering dizziness. The Sufis are viewed as the ones who are at the door to enlightenment. He accepts that he is the true instrument of God and therefore he does not question the power that comes and leaves him during the spinning trance."
I am sure this definitely serves as lot of information about the Whirling Dervishes.. or you can also check the links below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mevlevi
The dance originates from the Sufi religion. The word Sufi is translated from the Arabic work Suf meaning wool or others believe from the Greek word 'sophos' meaning wisdom. There are also two fables on how the dance began. The first is when Rumi was walking through the goldsmith area of Konya in Turkey. He heard beautiful music in the craftsmen's hammering and began to turn in harmony. The second is the story of a tradesman spinning wool from a bale onto a spindle. In order to prevent the wool from breaking, the spinning movement had to be continuous from the right to the left hand.
The dance is called the Sema and begins with the Dervish extending their arms, the right palm up and the left palm down which could be related to the wool spinning fable. The mystic interpretation is that the power of the heavens enters into the upward extended right palm and passes through the body and leaves the lower left palm to enter into the Earth. The left leg should never be raised. The spinning represents the axis of the planets around the sun.The word Dervish literally means doorway. He is a mystical dancer who stands between the material and cosmic worlds. Traditionally, the Dervishes start by wearing black cloaks symbolizing tombs, upon removal, so they remove themselves from the world. The purpose of the ritual whirling is to empty himself of all distracting thoughts, placing himself in a trance, his body conquering dizziness. The Sufis are viewed as the ones who are at the door to enlightenment. He accepts that he is the true instrument of God and therefore he does not question the power that comes and leaves him during the spinning trance."
I am sure this definitely serves as lot of information about the Whirling Dervishes.. or you can also check the links below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mevlevi
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