Mevlana in Australia (on August 6th)

The New Anatolian - Ankara, Turkey
Saturday, August 4, 2007

Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry will hold a series of activities in Australia to mark Jalal ud-din Rumi's (Mevlana's) 800th birthday, it was reported on Friday.

In a written statement released by the Ministry, it was recalled that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared 2007 as the "International Year of Rumi".

The statement said that the activities will be held in Sydney and Melbourne.

Within the scope of the activities, two special soirees would be organized in Sydney Town Hall and in Danas Booke Hall in Melbourne, on August 6th.

Marmara University Prof. Ali Kose will give a conference on "Mevlana- His Life, Philosophy and Sema".

Mevlana
Mevlana was born on September 30th, 1207 in Balkh in present day Afghanistan. He died in Konya on December 17th, 1273.

He was laid to eternal rest beside his father and over his remains in a splendid shrine was erected in Konya.

Though centuries have passed, many people from around world come and visit Mevlana. Mevlana devoted himself to the pursuit of Sufi mysticism, in which he was justly regarded as the supreme master.

He was the spiritual founder of the Mevlevi order of whirling dervishes.

His most important work, composed during the last ten years of his life, is the Mathnawi-i Manawi (Mesnevi). This comprises about thirty thousand couplets in six books, a vast compendium of Sufi lore and doctrine, interspersed with fables and anecdotes. It is especially remarkable for its insight into the laws of physics and psychology.

"Come, come again, whoever you are, come!
Heathen, fire worshipper or idiolatrous, come!
Come even if you broke your penitence a hundred times.
Ours is the portal of hope, come as you are"

This is his most famous motto that has been seen as a symbol of tolerance and love for centuries.