The founder of the Mevlevi brotherhood is Jelal el Din Rumi (1207-1273), a poet and mystic born in Afghanistan, and who settled for life in Konya (Turkey). He wrote most of his poems in Persian, and is known to his followers as Mevlena, or Master. The better known Sufi tariquahs are the Mevlevi (Whirling or Dancing Dervishes), the Rufai (Howling dervishes), Halveti (Solitary dervishes) amd the Bektashi sects.One of the younger whirling dervishes during this particular Sema spinning on his feet, and wearing the cone-like headgear made of coarse wool.
