“When we are dead, seek not our tomb in the earth, but find it in the hearts of men.”

This is the epitaph at the tomb of Jalal-ud-Din Rumi (1207-1273); a prophecy that has withstood the test of time.

Rumi’s poetry continues to touch hearts across countries and cultures more than seven centuries after his death. A Muslim theologian who turned to mysticism, he is regarded as the finest Persian poet of all time and among the greatest in the sufi tradition.

Born in Balkh (Afghanistan), Rumi lived most of his life in Konya (Turkey), where he is buried. December 17, 2014 marked Rumi’s 741st death anniversary and thanks to two Turkish friends who organised the trip, I was able to visit Konya that day to remember Rumi.

When our short flight from Istanbul landed in Konya, the temperature was hovering around zero degrees Celsius. But, despite the cold, the Mevlana Museum had a warm atmosphere, and without the usual pressures of security and formality. (In Turkey, Rumi is known as Mevlana) Women clearly outnumbered men, many of them wearing colorful head scarves.

The first point of attraction for everyone at the museum was Rumi’s tomb. The queue moved rather slowly past that corner and the cameras kept clicking.

It was a touching experience. It had to be. The mystic himself is a mystery for many of his admirers, who only know him from his popular verses, often translations from Persian.

Visiting his museum, seeing his tomb and articles of personal use attributed to him demystify Rumi’s existence, making a tangible connection in an intangible relationship.

 

Anyone who knows Rumi knows that his way is the love of God. A desire for connecting with God and humility are an integral part of the way of love:

Knock, And He'll open the door
Vanish, And He'll make you shine like the sun
Fall, And He'll raise you to the heavens
Become nothing, And He'll turn you into everything.

Although most of Rumi’s works are in Persian and more than 700 years old, his international appeal may be rising. These days, websites and social media are also spreading Rumi’s poetry. For instance, on Twitter, if yousearch for #Rumi, you would find dedicated accounts tweeting his verses every day.

I was more surprised, however, to discover that Rumi is one of the bestselling poets in the US. The books on Rumi’s poetry by Coleman Barks, an American poet, seem particularly popular.

One of the better documentaries about the mystic, Rumi: Poet of the Heart, released in 1998, is an initiative from the US and it also features Coleman Barks. I found that a collection of music and recitation inspired by Rumi, A Gift of Love (another initiative by his admirers in the US), has quietly amassed more than a million views on YouTube.