Rumi: Unveil the Sun

Sir Gulam & Lady Mohini Kent Noon
in association with
Sama Arts and the Iran Heritage Foundation

My search for Rumi began years ago. Sufism is part of my Punjabi heritage and as a singer sung sufiana kalam for many years. I have also written a stage script on punjab's pre-eminent sufi poet, Baba Bulle Shah. It was inevitable that my quest would lead to Jalal al-Din Rumi.

As I immersed myself deeper in Sufi thought, what struck me most was the secular nature of Sufi mysticism that leaves no room for prejudice about religion, race or caste. All is One.

Rumi said: Duyi az khud badar kardam, yaki deedam do alam ra, yaki joyam, yaki danam, yaki beenam, yaki khanam. That means: I have banished duality from my mind. I see the world as One. I see One. I know One. I desire One. I seek One.

When Rumi asks Shams: And where is the ladder on which I may climb to heaven? Shams replies: It's love. Learn to love. Earthly loves are a mere shadow of Divine Love. Seek the love that cannot be caged by words. Shams taught Rumi absolute love for the Divine. God is the beloved, the devotee the lover. It is Gohar Khatun, Rumi's wife who lays no claim to scholarship or mysticism, who gives us an abject lesson in the unconditional, self-sacrificing love that Shams taught Rumi. Finally, all that matters is love. Such a vision is sorely needed to heal today's increasingly violent and divided world.

Who was Rumi? Why does a thirteenth century mystic have the power to influence us today? The play deals with some of these questions. It is about the moment of transformation when Rumi, a religious cleric became one of the greatest mystics the world has ever known. That was as a result of the astonishing encounter between him and Shams al-Din Tabrizi that occurred in thirteenth century Turkey, in Konya.

Jalal al-Din Rumi was a respected religious scholar and family man who had inherited his father Baha al-Din's madrassa. Despite being a confidante of the ruler and beloved of the people, he was not at peace. Nagged by a feeling of dissatisfaction, he had an intuition that there was more to religious life than his intellectual knowledge of the spiritual path.

Shams, a wandering mystic, came to Konya in search of Rumi. All mystical paths require a pir or teacher to guide the adept on the right path. Unveil the Sun points out that yearning can be buried in a person who may not be entirely aware of it and awaits the touch of barakah or Divine Grace in the form of a guru.

Rumi's encounter with Shams was like a bolt of lightning. Rumi neglected his family, his madrassa and students and was intoxicated by the sudden discovery of his true purpose in life. Shams broke the mould of respectability that bound Rumi and freed him. Naturally there were repercussions: the people who had revered Rumi now derided him and turned hostile to Shams. Shams disappeared, presumably murdered. Rumi was mad with grief. Then slowly Rumi steadied himself and out of him poured his astonishing poetry which was written down by his disciple Chalpi. Rumi's oceanic, didactic work, the Masnawi, great sprawling stories that indicate the inner and outer journey of a mystic are relevant even today because the quest goes on.

'Apart from a gripping script the play also has great music. A must-see for all Sufi enthusiasts.'
The Hindustan Times City

'Rumi: Unveil the Sun is one of the best plays in English that we have seen on the Delhi stage.'
The Hindu

'The play tells the story of the intense encounter between the Sufi-poet Jalal al-Din Rumi and his mentor Shams al-Din Tabrizi. The power-packed action by the protagonists did justice to the strong story of the play.'
Hindustan Times

'Amrit Kent's play was a memorable experience. What amazed me was the dramatic twists and turns in the text. Amrit has infused it with colour and poetry in her treatment. I found myself riveted throughout.'
Habib Tanvir, noted playwright

'Amrit captures the meaning of the word fanna - to destroy one's ego by merging with the divine.'
Khushwant Singh

Written by - Amrit Kent and Mohini Kent
Directed by - Sohaila Kapur
Produced by - Mohini Kent

Music director - Jatinder Singh
Costume designer - Anju Modi
Choreography for Rumi & Shams - Gilles Chuyen
Production designer - Oroon Das
Production manager - Pamela Prakash
Lights - Ishwar

Cast
Jalal al-Din Rumi - Oroon Das
Shams al-Din Tabrizi - Danish Husain
Gohar Khatun - Padma Damodaran
Prime Minister & Hisam al-Din Chalpi - Shorba Bhattacharya
Yusuf & Risal al-Din - Dhruv Jagasia
Sultan Walad - Ashish Paliwal
Salah al-Din Zarkob - Ashish Dharmadhikari

20 and 25 GBP (concessions 15 GBP)

0870 033 2600, www.theshawtheatre.com