Fal is fortune telling by looking at the shapes formed by the grounds remaining in a coffee cup. Also “falcı” is a fortune teller.

Fal is mainly based on his / her intuitions as well as his style and skill of using the language. It is crucial to choose the right words and gestures to take the listeners’ attention. In addition to kahve falı (reading Turkish coffee) there are also other ways of fortunetelling such as papatya falı (daisy) el falı (palm) fasulye falı (beans) bakla falı (horsebean) çay falı (tea) kum falı (sand) etc.

There is a saying in Turkish “Fala inanma, falsız kalma.” meaning “Don’t be left without fal even if you don’t believe it.” Fal is usually a nice way of chatting and having a nice time, however, some people may be obsessed and deeply affected by what is told. Recently some cafes offer a fal service to İstanbullu, paid service or free of charge.

How to fortune tell After having coffee, the person makes a wish and the coffee cup is turned upside down on the coffee plate. When the cup is cold enough, it is opened and fal begins: First thing is the colour of the grounds in the cup. If it is dark, it means your wish won’t come true, but it mostly depends on the shapes. After the ground is read, the remainings on the coffee plate is poured into the cup and the telve, grounds on the plate is read this time. This is done to give countenance to what is seen in the cup.

Meaning of the shapes in coffee ground

• Lines Short, horizontal lines mean that you will get goods.
• Triangle means that you will get a present or money.
• Circles show that your luck will turn. It also means that you will marry or your social status will get higher.
• Two wavy lines show that you are going on a sea journey.
• Dots mean money. You will receive money these days.
• Square shows the beginning of a happy marriage or happiness in family.
• Vertical short line means that you are going on a trip and you will return with luck.
• Bow tie means that there is something happy soon.
• Garland means success. You will work very hard and achieve success soon.
• Star means that you are going on a journey. It also means investment.
• Three dots mean that you will make new friends or start an adventure. If the dots are very close it means patience.
• Rising sun shows that your great expectations will happen unexpectedly.
• Capital Y shows that you will meet an old friend and he will do you a favour.
• Shape of a key means you will move. Also it means you might win somebody’s heart. If there is a leaf beside it, it means you should keep quiet.
• A leaf means that you will hear from an old friend or you will make a new friend.
• An eye means that somebody is jealous of you. It also means someone is watching you with interest.
• A butterfly means an indecisive friendship. It shows that you have to act determined.
• A reverse triangle made from dots shows that a friend will ask help from you. You should take this into account and help him/her.
• An ear means that you believe what you are told.
• A pile of dot means that you will spend a lot of money.
• A sheep refers to purity and cleanness.
• A shark means that you will hear unnecessary news.
• A lighter means that you must stay away danger. If it is not burning, it means something might happen any time.
• A coffin may sound bad news, like death. However, it means that you will hear good news if there is someone in it.
• The sun means brightness and very good news.  And also relaxation both physically and mentally.
• A chest means that you will receive money if it is seen in the house. If it is seen outside of the house, it means that you always except to receive money.
• A cat means that you will meet a wise person.
• A violin refers to dignity and seriousness and the comment depends on the person.
• An umbrella means that you will be protected from the evil if it is an open umbrella.
• A pack of cards means that you will be lucky with lottery, gamble etc.
• An eagle means that you will hear very good news, both for you and friends and family.
• A railway means that you will set out a long journey.
• A tree means that you should take care of your outfit.
• A gun means that you might have an argument or fight.
• A bottle means that you don’t know what to do, if it is empty. If it is full, you will get rid of your problems.
• A spider means that you will be trapped.
• A child means that you will hear good news in a short time, especially if the child is running.
• Deer means you will have sad news.
• Lion symbolizes power, generosity and hunting. It means nice things will happen.
• Pidgeon means good news and people who are crossed with each other will kiss and make up.
• Soldier means you will struggle.
• Mouse means silence and peace.
• Fruit means a healthy life from now on.
• Window means health in home.
• Eye means evil eye and the person might have trouble.
• Rabbit means you will have very good news from a very close friend.
• Tooth means pain and you will have physical pain.
• Insect means problems. It could be a big or small problem depending on the size of the insect.
• Bat means fear and panic.
• Single sock means that you have problems approaching, therefore you feel stressed.
• Ring symbolizes marriage. If the person is married then it means a new love.
• Clock means that there is a little time left. Next image after clock is important because it could be negative or positive.

MOSQUE – CAMİ

The word cami comes from the Arabic word cem (gathering). Parts of a mosque are as follows:

• Avlu Wide area in the entrance of the mosque, courtyard.
• Gasilhane Place or room used to wash the corpse before funeral
• Kıble South, the direction of Mecca where Muslims turn in worship.
• Kubbe Dome, sky, vault of heaven. Selimiye Camii in Edirne has the biggest dome.
• Kürsü Raised, throne-like seat from which imams preache.
• Mihrap Niche in a mosque wall indicating the direction of Mecca.
• Minber Pulpit on the right of the mihrab reached by a long, straight flight of steps.
• Musalla taşı A marble within a mosque courtyard or garden where the funeral put for ceremony.
• Şadırvan Fountain used for ritual ablutions and usually located in the middle of a mosque courtyard.
• Türbe Large, usually domed tomb.
• Mahya Message spelled out by lights strung between minarets during Ramadan month.

Did you know ?

There are 2,499 mosques in İstanbul? The first mosque on the Asian side, Rum Mehmet Paşa Camisi, was built in Üsküdar in 1460’s by Rum Mehmet Paşa who was a vizier?

Mosques with 4 minarets were built only by the Sultans? The only exception is Maltepe Camii that was built in the republic era in the 20th century.

CALL TO PRAYER – EZAN

Don’t you think Istabul could be very silent without “ezan”. It is an Arabic word meaning call to prayer, the azan. The person who sings ezan is called müezzin. The words of ezan is as follows:

Allahu Ekber God is Great
Eşhedü enla ilahe illallah I testify that there is no god but God
Eşhedü enne Muhammeden resulullah I testify that Mohammed is His prophet
Hayya ale’salah Come to pray
Hayya alel-felah Come to salvation
As-salatu hayrun mine’n nevm Namaz is more propitious than sleep
Allahu Ekber God is Great
La ilahe illallah There is no god but God

Did you know ?

Ezan was sang in Turkish from 1932 to 1950?

Every day, ezan is first sung in Kamchatka peninsula in the Russian far east?

RITUAL ABLUTION – ABDEST

Abdest (Arabic) means a ritual ablution, the state of canonical purity. Muslims get washed before the namaz, pray. Therefore there are taps and fountains in the yard of mosques.

RITUAL WORSHIP – NAMAZ

Namaz (Arabic) is ritual of worship centered in prayer in Islam. Namaz is announced by ezan. Before namaz people have abdest. Namaz is performed five times a day: Sabah namazi (morning), ogle namazi (noon), ikindi namazi (early evening), aksam namazi (evening) and yatsi namazi (night).

20’lik (Yirmilik) 20 cl. rakı bottle.

30’luk (Otuzluk) 30 cl. Beer glass, also called küçük bira (small beer) or balon (balon).

35’lik (Otuzbeşlik) 35 cl. rakı bottle, küçük rakı (small bottle of rakı).

50’lik (Ellilik) 50 cl. Beer glass. It is also called Arjantin (Agentine).

70’lik (Yetmişlik) 70 cl. Beer glasses, büyük bira (big glass of beer). It is also used for 70 cl. Rakı bottle, büyük rakı (big rakı bottle).

100’lük (Yüzlük) 100 cl. rakı bottle.

Aksamci A person who habitually spends his evenings drinking.

Aksamdan kalma Hangover. Istanbullu have iskembe corbasi (tripe soup) or tursu suyu (pickle juice) for hangover.

Arjantin A beer glass for 50 cl, a pint. See Bira

Aslan sütü Lion’s milk, a name given to rakı in colloquial speech.

Bardak Glass e.g. bir bardak çay, bir bardak rakı, çay bardağı.

Biraver A beer pot with a tap that functions like a samovar, tea urn. It is derived from bira and semaver.

Çakırkeyf Half tipsy, somewhat drunk.

Çilingir Sofrası The dinner table prepared with rakı and a few mezes, hors d´oeuvres.

Duble Double; double shot of raki e.g. bir duble raki.

Ehlikeyf A pleasure-loving person; a copper container used to keep raki glass cold

Fondip An expression said when drinking spirits meaning “drink it all, in a flash, trice, see the end of glass”.

İçecek Non-alcoholic drink, beverage.

“İçelim açılalım” Let’s drink and open up. Also “İçelim güzelleşelim.”

İçki Alcoholic drink.

Kadeh Wine glass e.g. bir kadeh beyaz sarap.

Korkutuk Blind drunk, dead drunk.

Leyla olmak To become Leyla (Laila, female name), to get drunk

Sarhos Drunk.

Serefe Cheers, literally to honour. Also şerefine to your honour, sagligina to your health.

Tek one, single, one and only; single shut (of rakı) e.g. tek raki.

Tek atmak to knock back a drink; to have a single shot of raki.

Tekel Monopoly; liquor shop where tobacco, liquors and similar products are sold. The word tekel means monopoly coming from the Turkish State Liquor and Tobacco Monopoly. These shops sold tekel products before privatisation, therefore  they are called tekel shops.

Tekirdağ A city in the west of İstanbul; a very good quality rakı brand.

Yeni Rakı The most popular rakı brand preferred by Turkish drinkers www.yeniraki.com

Yolluk One for the road.

Zom Very drunk, blotto.

Hamam, Turkish bath is a public bath used since the Roman times. During the Ottoman period, they were either part of a külliye (a complex of buildings adjacent to a mosque) or a separate building that was run for mosques and charitable foundations. Hamam was not only a public bath, but it also had a socializing function. Especially women went to the hamam with their relatives or neighbours to chat, eat, drink, sing and dance, even find a girl to marry their sons. In addition to socializing, there were also traditional occasions done in the hamam such as kina gecesi (henna night) before the wedding.

• Göbek taşı Heated marble slab to lie on for sweating.
• Halvet Partially enclosed bathing cubicle.
• Kese Bath glove made of coarse cloth for rubbing the skin.
• Kurna Marble basin under a faucet.
• Kurna basi Open parts that the customers take bath alone.
• Pestamal Loincloth worn in the hamam.
• Takunya Clog.
• Tas Metal bowl, vessel used for washing up.
• Tellak Rubber, attendant who messages and bathes the customer.

A Documentary about Turkish Bath

Türk Hamami 1/2 – Old Turkish Bath
Yükleyen miylocalveri. – Daha fazla bilim ve teknoloji videosu sizleri bekliyor.

Cemberlitas Hamami, Beyazit

Old Turkish Bath
Yükleyen miylocalveri. – Tüm sezonlar ve tüm bölümler

In today’s world, even if the hamam seems to lose its popularity, it is still a favourable place as part of the city culture as well as for traditional people. Some of the most popular hamams are as follows:

Cemberlitas Hamami, Beyazit www.cemberlitashamami.com.tr Cagaoloğlu Hamami, Cagaloglu www.cagalogluhamami.com.tr Galatasaray Hamami, Beyoglu www.galatasarayhamami.com

Turkish

hamam gibi very hot (place) Aynı tas, aynı hamam. Nothing new. It’s the same old hamam. Hamama giren terler. One who enters the hamam gets sweat. You have to pay for the price.

This post is published in Turkish at www.turkey-pedia.com if you are know Turkish or improve your reading skills.

The selsebil was an ornamental cascade fountain located in gardens of grand homes. The marble basins of graduated size were set into an upright slab of stone known as the zank taşı. The water poured either into a final large basin or garden pool.

These structures were not intended to supply water needs, but as a decorative architectural feature enhancing the space where they were located. Those in interior spaces, like room fountains, were intended partly to create a pleasant splashing sound of water in the room and at the same time make it possible to hold private conversations without being overheard while also serving an air conditioning function by cooling the air. Those located in the openair of pavilions and waterfront houses had similar functions, and in addition provided water for birds.

Source: Ministry of Culture & Tourism

Sebil is the kiosk built for the dispensing of free drinking water for both charity and pierty. During the Selçuklu and Ottoman period, sebil was built as small buildings with windows and a dome, either as part of a külliye (complex of buildings adjacent to a mosque) or separately. During the republic era, sebil is built as a fountain for charity especially on behalf of a person who died, in order to give water to the people for the sake of his soul.

Types of sebil

Today sebil remained from Ottoman period are used for different purposes such as storage, büfe, café, shop etc. The most popular ones are the sebils in Kabataş (café) Sirkeci (büfe) Üsküdar (shop of a foundation selling olive products).

Did you know?

The first sebil in Anatolia was built by the Selçuklu State.

Mehmet II (The Conquerer) built 130 sebil in İstanbul after the conquest.

The oldest sebil in İstanbul today is the one in Fatih built in 1503 by Şeyhülisyam Efdalzade Hamideddin Efendi. Unfortunately it is used as a fish storage.

Beggars are back in town! I didn’t see many beggars for about ten years until five years ago but I see “conventional” beggars in the street as well as new “new wave” beggars who are normal-looking people, stops you in the street and asks for money to have soup, lunch, money to get home etc and come up with many different reasons for begging. This is, I believe, even worse than the “conventional” ones because it is hardly impossible to distinguish people in need.

Anyway, let’s talk about our favourite beggars Some beggars are really in need of help, of course, whereas most beggars in Istanbul do this as a job to make a living by exploiting people’s feelings. It is quite possible to see in the news that a beggar is caught by the police and turned out that he has a fortune, accounts in the bank, houses, cars that he has made by begging.

Common types of begging

• Waiting in the corners and beg money from the people passing by. This is the most common way of begging.
• Sitting on the pavement with a baby or child lying in mother’s lap in the sun.
• Walking around in the streets and beg in front of the shops, at the bus stops or busy places.
• Begging door to door.
• Begging looking smart and presentable and claiming that they lost their wallets, money and so on.
• Walking around in the streets, ferries, bus stops with a little child and hospital report claiming that their children are sick and need financial help to have an operation

I was sitting outside at a café when a young man fell down and started shaking with foam out of his mouth. Apparently he has epilepsy. We all tried to help him and finally he regained consciousness and said he lost the business card of a man who he was going to borrow money for his debt, implying to get money from the people who helped him. We were a bit disappointed because we all thought he faked to ask for money. He was either a very good actor because he didn’t seem to be faking, or he really has epilepsy and learned the way after he regains consciousness. I wouldn’t want to accuse him wrongly but this could also be regarded as another begging type added to the list above.

Did you know?

There are “dilenci” gangs that they kidnap children, make a defect in children’s bodies and use them as beggars. Unfortunately this is true.

Turkish

dilenmek to beg

dilenci beggar

Allah ne muradin varsa versin. May God grant your every wish.

Allah rızası için. For God’s sake.

Henna is a kind of coloring powder obtained from the tree of Henna.

Henna Night, is a traditional ceremony symbolizing the last night of a bride in her father’s home.

It is a ritual of tattooing the hands and feet of the bride in a ceremony that only the girls and women are invited…

In the Henna night, the bride and the ladies, wearing traditonal dresses, dance with folkloric or oriental music and songs…

Nişan, Engagement is the third step on the road to marriage in Turkey…

After the period of “Kiz İsteme”, the parents and the families are getting to know eachother and make rare visits to the other side.In this period, the boy and the girl have the chance of coming together within the knowledge of parents. But nevertehless, the frequent visit may irritate the girl’s father… So the boy must be carefull during that period!..

Nişan is organized and performed in “Düğün Salonu”, the wedding Hall. However the upcoming marriage was first declared via “Söz Kezme Merasimi” , ıt was just a declaration to the close family members and relatives. Nişan Töreni, The Engagement Ceremony is for a wider decleration for all the people such as neighbours, acquintances, friends etc…

In addition to this Nişan can be assumed as a rehearsal of wedding ceremony…

See you in Wedding Ceremony..

To be Contiued…

After the boy’s party’s( Oglan Tarafı) evaluation and decision about the girl who suits best for the requirements of the boy and her mother, we can focus on the next step on The Road to The Marriage in Turkey : KIZ ISTEME, that means” Requesting The Girl” from her parents.

The final decision is conveyed to The lucky girl’s party ! (Kiz Tarafı), and the date is agreed with the two parties.

When the calendar shows The Date, Oglan Tarafi, including the boy, parents, grantparents, brothers, sisters, brother-in-loves take the road to The Girl’s address with a crucial gift : The Traditional Dessert “ BAKLAVA“. Bringing the baklava with them has its special meaning in Turkish traditions that is “Tatli yiyelim, tatli konusalim.” means “the more dessert we eat, the sweeter we talk.”

The visitors take their seats in the living room or sitting room.  For a while, some warm up chat is done among the people while Turkish Tea is being drunk with cakes, boreks.. Soon after the tea and cakes, It is the time for serving The Turkish Coffees that means the ambiance is warm enough to enter the main issue.

The oldest one of the visitors starts talking by saying; Allah’in izni ve Peygamber Efendimizin kavliyle kizinizi oglumuza istiyoruz means “With the permission of Allah (God)  and the acceptance of our Prophet Mohammet, we request your daughter for our son.

After the girl’s father’s approval, the boy and the girl kiss parent’s and grandparent’s hands. This approval has one other meaning that  girl and boy are belong to eachother from that time on. This is traditionally called “Söz Kesmek”  means “The Promise given”.

The happy ending of the request is the time for eating Baklava and “The Promise Rings”…  Ater a while eating Baklava and ringing, The visitors asks for the permisson of the hosts to leave…

From now on, the period of “Nişan” (engagement) starts…

Wish to see you in Engagement Ceremony…