Myths and Facts
As guides from Konya we have been correcting these claims for years, yet they are still passed from mouth to mouth. Here is what is actually true.
The myth Rumi’s Father Rose to His Feet at the Burial
Sadly there is a story told that “when Rumi was buried his father rose to his feet, which is why the sarcophagus in the museum was built higher.”
The factFirst of all, no physical rising — that is, the body standing up — took place. Moreover, we Turks have for centuries taken living in accordance with Islam as our principle and held fast to its rules. It is therefore not possible for a body to be held upright or displayed in any such way.
A spiritual rising, a gesture of reverence, may have occurred and been witnessed by those with an open heart — but someone who witnesses such a thing does not easily speak of it; they do not reveal the secret.
The myth Konya Is the City That Consumes the Most Alcohol
The sentence “Konya is the city that consumes the most alcohol” is true from one angle, but the matter needs a closer look.
The factBecause Konya has a great many cologne production facilities, ethyl alcohol — one of cologne’s main components — is purchased as an input in very large quantities. As the figure is passed from mouth to mouth, this detail is either overlooked or deliberately left unsaid.
The myth “Afyon Is Famous for Its Cream, Konya for Its Madmen”
Here we face another sentence born of a pronunciation and spelling error — one that upsets both us and our fellow citizens of Konya.
The factThe word pronounced here as “manyağı” (madman) should properly be written as “Man yağı” — MAN oil.
Konya has been a centre of the automotive industry for many years and has trained serious craftsmen in the field. It was also the most important repair and maintenance centre for the MAN trucks that were once so widespread.
The expression, originally used to describe the quality of the oils used in these vehicles, has long caused offence because of this mistaken spelling and pronunciation.