Dervish

Dervish, Darvesh, or Darwīsh (from Persian: درویش, Darvīsh) in Islam is a type of Sufi.^[1][2][3]

Dervish with a lion and a tiger, Mughal painting, c. 1650

It is someone living a Sufi Muslim ascetic way or "Tariqah". They are poor, and live simply. In this respect, dervishes are most similar to mendicant friars in Christianity,^[4] or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.^[5]

Whirling dervishes

Whirling dervishes, Rumi Fest 2007

The whirling dance that is associated with dervishes is best known in the West by the performances of the Mevlevi order in Turkey. It is part of a ceremony known as the Sema. It is also done by other orders. The Sema is only one of many Sufi ceremonies performed to try to reach religious ecstasy (majdhb, fana).

The name Mevlevi comes from the Persian poet Rumi, who was a dervish himself. This practice, though not intended as entertainment, has become a tourist attraction in Turkey.^[6][7][8]