Turkish whirling dervishes perform in Bangladesh

By Mutasim Billah

Bangladesh (AA) - The Turkish embassy of Bangladesh and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) hosted the traditional ceremony of Sufi whirling dervishes Saturday night at the Dhaka Shilpakala Academy.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Dhaka Shilpakala Academy, Allama Rumi Society Bangladesh and Hatkhola Foundation jointly organized the three day long Second International Sufi fest ceremony.

Addressing the ceremony of whirling dervishes, Turkish Ambassador Öztürk explained the significance of the ceremony and Rumi's philosophy.

He said, “Sufism is a message of love, universal love. This is the second sufi festival in Bangladesh but it’s a common issues of all Muslims of all over the world. It’s the common little between Turkish people and Bangladeshi people. So we are relay glad our team attend this good festival, and as far as I know that’s the first time Turkish teems performs on whirling dervishes. Interpretation of Sufism in Turkey and Bangladesh slightly difference but main message love, union and god is the same. We hope that the message will reach all over the world in this difficult time our world needs so much of peace and harmony and tolerance.”


Syed Rezaul Karim, Adviser of the Allama Rumi Society Bangladesh said, “Actually this fest was initiated one year back, it was held on Chittagong and this time in Dhaka. Moulana Rume is very popular in Bangladesh. In fact all over the world. All the religious clerics here who have studied Madrasha, School or University they know about Moulana Rumi. Moulana has become more relevant in the present world because of the conflict and the hatred among the people. Moulana’s messages of the love and his universal love and it has strongest amongst all nations’ people. In Bangladesh particularly Moulana Rumi’s messages has to be spread, and it is very important because here also the fundamentalist forces are trying to raise their heads and try to dis stability in the society. it’s the messege of toralence and messege of harmony that is very important which comes to the sufi works of Moulana Rumi.

Sema was introduced by Moulana Jalaludin rume. He explained that he derived this tune from a celestial atmosphere on the movement of this fears. And anybody who understand this whirling also understand the god. All loves for all creation.”

Yusuf Muhammed Coordinator & General Secretary of Hatkhola Foundation said, "In the contemporary world, suicides, loss of harmony is common. Muslim attacks of Muslims and non-Muslims, we arrange this program to get rid of this violence.

Music purified our mind. We organized the Sufi festival for music practice. The visitors who come here they able to purified their mind. Besides, cultural interaction between our artists and foreign artists will be done through music. As we get something from their culture, they will also take from us our culture. Both cultures will be rich by participating in this event."