Literary elite commemorate ‘Rumi’s’ death anniversary

Afghan and Turkish literary experts on Thursday commemorated the 747th death anniversary of Maulana Jalalludin Mohammad Balkhi – one of the world’s greatest poets who many know as Rumi.

Balkhi was born in Balkh province in Afghanistan in 1207 and died in 1273 in Turkey and to this day his influence transcends borders and ethnic divisions as his legacy lives on.

His poems, mostly written in Persian, have however been translated into countless foreign languages and his work remains extremely popular, not only in the region but also in the United States and other Western countries.

One Afghan writer, Afsar Rahbin, said on Thursday he had learned a lot from reading Balkhi’s works.

“Balkhi had learned agility from his former generation,” said Rahbin.

“I love his voice, and forgot all differences when I got to know (Balkhi’s work),” said Huseyin Avni Botsali, representative of OIC in Afghanistan.

The Masnavi is Balkhi’s most famous work and is an extensive poem written in Persian.

Many commentators have classified this as the greatest mystical poem ever in world literature.

“Masnavi was a source of instruction, a source of ethics and a source of knowledge, it was a source for all humans,” said Tahir Zaheer, acting head of the ministry of information and culture.

Balkhi has also been credited for the Sama dance which in 2008 was declared by UNESCO as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.