Suleyman Dede in Konya

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Suleyman Hayati Dede in his house in Konya in the 1970s, presenting David Bellak with a Destar - the tall, camel coloured ceremonial headpiece wound around the base with green silk ribbon, signifying the role of 'Postneshin Shaikh' - permitted to sit on the red sheepskin 'post' during the traditional Mevlevi whirling ceremony. The red sheepskin symbolises both the place of Hazreti Mevlana Rumi himself, and also the "place of burning". as Rumi said - "I was raw, I was cooked, I was burned!"

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