Not frivolously, around the alleys and bazaars, I whirl.
Lover’s temperament, I have — to have one glimpse of my Beloved, I whirl.
O, God! Have mercy on me! Distracted, I whirl.
I am guilty, I am sinful: in this wretched state, I whirl.
Desire’s wine I imbibe; around the Friend, I whirl.
Intoxicated speech, I utter, even while soberly, I whirl.
Sometimes I laugh, weep sometimes; sometimes I fall, sometimes I rise.
Messiah, in my heart, I bear; and I, the infirm, whirl...
— Rumi
For my new Huffington Post article, “Sharing the Sufis of Syria”, I wanted to include photos of the whirling dervishes of Aleppo–and I knew that my friend was the perfect person to ask.
The beautiful photographs of whirling dervishes in this post–and in my article–were taken in Syria and Turkey by Lebanese photographer Daniele Chikhani. I’ve been fortunate to spend time with Daniele here in Beirut–and to admire her dynamic photographs in person. Beyond admiring her inspired shots, I’ve also been personally touched by her bold generosity, sharp insight, and creative spirit.
It is easy to take pictures, but less easy to capture the soul. — Daniele Chikhani
Daniele is a kindred wandering soul, having traveled to Iran, India, Peru, Mauritania, Uzbekistan, Yemen, northern Saudi Arabia (Nefud Desert), and Turkey to take photographs of mosques, temples, ruins, and nature. A true citizen of the world, she is always on the hunt for beauty–far and wide–and she seems to find it in all forms wherever she goes.
Daniele’s photographs–taken with an eye in love with soulful faces and the fine details of mystical architecture (she worked as an architect for years)–have been shown in exhibitions in Lebanon, as well as internationally. In addition to being a gifted artist, Daniele is often sought out for the wisdom she’s gleamed along the road, while visiting dervishes both near and far. To see more of her photographs of whirling dervishes, along with other photos from her portfolio and travels, you can visit her website here.
