Princesses of Persia

Anju Modi, AICW 21015. Photography: FDCI

Anju Modi’s show notes included a poem by my favourite Sufi poet, Rumi so I was won over from the start:

I asked, “Where is your home, beautiful moon?”

She said, “In the wreck of your heart so stone.

I am the sun shining into your ruin.

Long may you call this wild wasteland your home”.

Inspired by Persia, the show was entitled Kashish: an Urdu word, reflects an attraction, a deep desire and yearning for something; something which maybe never was. Well English words don’t mean so much do they?

Bibi, Lady of Leisure

 

Nikasha WIFW AW 2014

Regular Chatterboxes know I am a real sucker for Sufi poetry and I was delighted to find that designer, Nikasha had a Rumi poem in her show notes:

In your light I learn how to love…
In your beauty how to make poems
You dance inside my chest where no one else sees you,
but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art.

Wah wah, masha’allah! Ok, back to the collection.

Spread It Thick: Cheesy Love!

Well just like that it’s The Most Romantic Day of The Year again.   And of course, I’m here to the rescue for what to write in your message to your loved one(s ;-))

And still, after all this time, the Sun has never said to the Earth,
“You owe me.”
Look what happens with love like that.
It lights up the sky.
― Rumi

Day 1: Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week SS14

WIFW Designer: Anupamaa

International Urban Nomads

Internationally acclaimed fashion designer, Anupama Dayaal kicked off Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Spring/Summer14 with an explosion of colour and bold prints.  Some collections could be viewed as transcending seasons, however, Anupamaa’s screamed SUNSHINE.  Bright pinks, orange and yellow tones worn with tousled hair and beach foot accessories completed the looks.

WIFW Designer: Anupamaa

The Forty Rules Of Love

I just finished reading The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak.  The author is one of the high profile names that participated in this year’s Asia House Festival of Asian Literature.

This is the first book I have read by Elif Shafak and I was drawn to it as I read the back cover and saw three words: Sufi, Rumi and Shams…sold!!  This book is like Kryptonite for my sister full of spirituality and love.

These Spiritual Window Shoppers

Thank Rumi It’s Friday.

These spiritual window-shoppers,
who idly ask, ‘How much is that?’ Oh, I’m just looking.
They handle a hundred items and put them down,
shadows with no capital.

What is spent is love and two eyes wet with weeping.
But these walk into a shop,
and their whole lives pass suddenly in that moment,
in that shop.

Where did you go? “Nowhere.”
What did you have to eat? “Nothing much.”

Even if you don’t know what you want,
buy _something,_ to be part of the exchanging flow.

Start a huge, foolish project,
like Noah.

It makes absolutely no difference
what people think of you.

Warning: Strong Cheese Ahead

♥ Happy St Valentine’s Day!♥  If you haven’t written your cards yet, perhaps these delightful Sufi poems will inspire you:

When the sweet glance of my true love caught my eyes,
Like alchemy, it transformed my copper-like soul.
I searched for Him with a thousand hands,
He stretched out His arms and clutched my feet.

From Thief of Sleep, Shahram Shiva

 

A Smile and A Gentleness

There is a smile and a gentleness
inside. When I learned the name

and address of that, I went to where
you sell perfume. I begged you not

to trouble me so with longing. Come
out and play!

60 Second Sufism

Two little ‘uns for the weekend, enjoy! Bubbly

The morning wind spreads its fresh smell.
We must get up and take that in,
that wind that lets us live.
Breathe before it’s gone.

Sufi Poetry Corner

You’ve no idea how hard I’ve looked for a gift to bring You.
Nothing seemed right.

What’s the point of bringing gold to the gold mine, or water to the Ocean.
Everything I came up with was like taking spices to the Orient.

It’s no good giving my heart and my soul because you already have these.

So- I’ve brought you

Sufi Magic

Hafiz and Rumi are two of my favourite Sufi poets.  Here is my next selection from their vast archive:

The sun never says to the earth,
‘You owe me.’

Look what happens with a love like that.

Wah Wah!

Self Having Passed Away

I thought of You so often,

That I completely became You

Cheese Lover

In my old age I am becoming a Sufi poetry fan, a lot of which is dedicated to cheesy love. 

The minute I heard my first love story,

I started looking for you, not knowing

how blind that was.

Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere,

they’re in each other all along.

RUMI