Post tagged Khusrau - Jahane Rumi

My soul has come on my lips

12 November 2008

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Amir Khusrau’s Khabaram Raeeda translated by Annemarie Schimmel

Tonight there came a news that you, oh beloved, would come –
Be my head sacrificed to the road along which you will come riding!
All the gazelles of the desert have put their heads on their hands
In the hope that one day you will come to hunt them….
The attraction of love won’t leave you unmoved;
Should you not come to my funeral,
you’ll definitely come to my grave.
My soul has come on my lips (e.g. I am on the point of expiring);
Come so that I may remain alive -
After I am no longer – for what purpose will you come?

(trans. A. Schimmel)

sent by JZ via email

Khusrau, Meera, Kabir: The Fluid Self

13 April 2008

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An essay contributed by the celebrated singer,writer and spiritualist Vidya Rao

I often ask myself the question why I choose, above all things, to sing, and then to sing a traditional gayaki like thumri. The images that are gleaned from its poetic texts are so often open to misunderstand: pining nayikas, heartless piyas, rakish Krishnas, divine Rams. I ask myself that question again today when tradition is in danger of being smothered by sectarianism, communal violence and a whole culture lies bleeding.
I turn to the music itself for my answer. It has never failed me before it does not fail me now. (more…)

Nizamuddin Auliya – for Marta Franceschini

5 January 2007

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My post on the pictures of Nizamuddin Auliya’s dergah (shrine) attracted a visitor whose devotion to the great Nizamuddin is quite touching. Marta wrote:

“…picture of the Dargha is next to my bed, first thing I see in the morning and last in the evening. …. No one ever loved me like he does. To experience the power of his love is something impossible to express with words, something that has changed complitely the prospective of my life.”

Commenting further on the pictures, Marta said:

“…..The best gift for Christmas. I am not muslim, nor christian, or anything else, but however my heart is full of love for God which, I am sure, is One and Overwhelming. And does embrace me all time long. If my presence doesn’t offend anyone in your site I will be glad to come back again, and possibly talk to anyone close to the Great Chisthy Saint.”

Her full comment can be found here

I visited this remarkable place recently spending my evenings and all the spare time at the shrine. I have met more and more people at the dergah including a devotee who also runs the Sufi Inayat Khan Center nearby. I will write more about that later.

Now that I have had some time to sort out my pictures, I am posting a few more here. These are dedicated to Marta and I hope she will find them inspiring again…