It was probably the most talked-about event of the month. A large crowd had already gathered outside the Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi on the evening of 14th February 2007, waiting to enter and watch for themselves the towering personality of Anandmurti Gurumaa and the dervishes who were especially brought from the interiors of Turkey.

To a hall packed and under the glaring lights of the media, Guests of Honour, Dr Karan Singh, President, ICCR and Sarod Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, along with Turkish Ambassador in India, HE Halil Akinci, marked the start of the 800th Birth Anniversary of Hazrat Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi in India. The glittering event was organized by Rishi Chaitanya Trust in association with Turkish Embassy and in co-association with Gurumaa Vani.
The highlight of the opening event was the launch by the Guests of Honour of the special audio CD, titled “Zikr”, produced by Mystica Music and composed by India’s leading neyzen and musicologist Kaanchman Babbar.
Soon the audience got totally engrossed with the lilting voice of Gurumaa and the captivating musical compositions of the visiting Dervishes. It was a lifting moment for all when Gurumaa sang “Sultan tu hai mera…” She reminded everyone of the universal values of Love, which are an intrinsic part of Rumi’s passionate love poetry.
She told the enthralling audience: “People today misunderstand love as a mere union of two bodies. But love is something heavenly. It’s an emotion that binds everything under the sun. It is one’s journey from here to the cosmic world where our soul unites with the Almighty.” Speaking about Rumi, she said: “He was not a prophet, but surely he has brought a scripture.”
What made the evening magical was the dance performance by seven Dervishes that represents the spiritual ascent through remembrance or Zikr. And the breath-taking dance of these Dervishes actually many in the breathless.
While Ustad Amjad Ali Khan said that listening to Rumi made you believe that God dwells in music, Dr Karan Singh felt overwhelmed by the evening’s performances. Turkish Ambassador Halil Akinci spoke of the cultural ties between India and Turkey that went as far back as 700 years ago.
Gurumaa probably summed up the evening’s proceedings when she said: “Love’s nationality is different from religions.” Certainly, the evening was devoted to universal love of the Sufis even as youngsters were busy celebrating St Valentine’s Day throughout the world.