The Legend OF "Leyli & Madman"

“Dearest heart, if I had not given my soul to you, it would have been better to give it up for good, to lose it forever. I am burning in love's fire; I am drowning in the tears of my sorrow. . . I am the moth that flies through the night to flutter around the candle flame. O invisible candle of my soul, do not torture me as I encircle you! You have bewitched me; you have robbed me of my sleep, my reason, my very being.”  

Nezami Ganjavi, From Leyli va Majnoon-adapted by Colin Turner and published by Blake in London, 1970

So today I had time to watch a film called Majnoone leyli (The madman’s leyli). But before I can talk about it I need to explain two things! First of all I need to tell you a story, and second I will tell you why I am writing this! And then I can talk about the film thoroughly.

There is a legend in my country called “Leyli Va Majnoon” or as it is called in west “Leyli and the Madman”!  this story is based on a real story of life of a man called Majnoon in the book and was written by the Persian writer Nezami Ganjavi....! “Leyli and Majnoon" is an immortal love story sometimes compared to "Romeo and Juliet" though it predates Shakespeare in oral tradition by more than 1,000 years. 

Leyli and Majnoon were from the same tribe living in deserts of Iraq! Majnoon was a poet who fell in love with Leyli; he made poems and songs about their love and leyli, although because of the rules of the tribe, he was not accepted when he asked her hands for marriage. Soon after, leyli was married to another man. Majnoon (: meaning madman), he fled the tribe camp and began wandering the surrounding desert. His family gave up on him after a while. People would see him time to time, singing poems for leyli or writing in the sands with a stick. Leyli moved to the modern Iraq with his husband and became sick soon after. She died and was buried. Majnoon was found dead in wilderness near grave of an unknown woman, and he have had engraved three verses of his last poem on a stone near by it.

“I pass by these walls, the walls of Leyli

And I kiss this wall and that wall
It’s not Love of the houses that has taken my heart
But of the One who dwells in those houses”

This is a story about an undying love, which is generally is known as a virgin love, because the lovers don’t ever get married and their love dies a virgin with them.

This story is one of the most popular legends of Iran, and was written in 7^th century. I believe most of the nationalities in the world have stories as such, some may be true like this one, and some may have been made by imagination of the storyteller. But what is so distinguished about this story is the depth of the love and the beauty of the literature of it written by Ganjavi, so deeply interconnected with the literature of Majnoon himself.

“The future is veiled from our eyes. The threads of each man's fate extend well beyond the boundaries of the visible world. Where they lead, we cannot see. Who can say that today's key will not be tomorrow's lock, or today's lock not tomorrow's key?”

Nezami Ganjavi, From Leyli va Majnoon-adapted by Colin Turner and published by Blake in London, 1970

Well, as you all know Valentines is quite close, and I don’t think if i could pick a better time to write this! But the fact is, what motivated me, is the fact that Sepandarmazdegan is close also. Sepandarmazdegan is quite very similar to the St.Valentines day. It’s the day to worship love. It is a part of Esfand mah (the month of Esfand) which is the last month of the year in Persian calendar and the end of winter. In old times, winter was the time to rest after all the agriculture was finished, and as the ancient believed, this all was not possible for anyone if the woman of the house was not always there for the family, to support them and love them to get through the year. So this is the time to thank them! Esfand is the month of women of the house! Sepandamazd is the guardian of earth in Zarathustra and as women in life have the same role, being the supportive and the giving, this is their month! The word Sepandazd is from Avesta (the holly book of Zarathutrians) and it means the patients and humility of mothers. On Sepandarmazdegan, men buy presents for the love of their life.  This is how Zarathustra shows the importance of appreciation of love and women! And this also has a beautiful story behind it, very much similar to the story of Leyli va Majnoon. But i guess that needs to be left for later, because otherwise this story will get too long and boring.

“Every breeze that blows

Brings your scent to me;

Every bird that sings

Calls out your name to me;

Every dream that appears

Brings your face to me;

Every glance at your face

Has left its trace with me.

I am yours, I am yours,

Whether near or far;

Your grief is mine, all mines,

Wherever you are.”

Nezami Ganjavi, From Leyli va Majnoon-adapted by Colin Turner and published by Blake in London, 1970

 So this film was about the antique box which was made and given to the great grandmother of this girl called Parvaneh (: Meaning Butterfly), by her great granddad over 100 years ago on Sepandarmazdegan day. It was a box with the sign of Farvahar on it! (If you don’t know what it is, next time you see me with my necklace on, ask me what it is, because I always wear it, OR in future I will actually put up an analysis of it). This box in a very odd way kept going around and many people got a hold of it on Sepandarmazdegan day. It simply brought people who had true love for each other together and made those who did not realise that they are in a wrong situation.  Some sort of a magical impact. The connection between the stories was most certainly wonderful.

It is quite odd! I just can’t believe how this kind of love does not exist anymore! Or perhaps it does, but it is rather rare! I have the most loving grandparent. My granddad would still remember their anniversary till the last days of his life, and he would celebrate his love for my grandmother in every single opportunity.  It first of all makes me ashamed of myself! I have made some conclusions about it while living my life around people who have had it! First of all, if you find it you must never let go! And nothing could ever end a real love! May it mature or may it die a virgin, real love will never die... Now people do tell me if you think you have it! If you think you have that precious thing everyone talks about but not many have! I would very much love to talk about this more! But I like to leave you here with this thought that what is real love and where do you hold it! Do you u feel that odd feeling of pain inside when you are in love with someone, that deep pain inside that feels so good and enjoyable! the stress, the pain and the passion!

“Time passes, but true love remains. The life of this world is, for the most part, nothing but a succession of illusions and deceptions. But true love is real, and the flames which fuel it burn forever, without beginning or end. “

Nezami Ganjavi, From Leyli va Majnoon-adapted by Colin Turner and published by Blake in London, 1970

“In the garden, the leaves were falling like tears. The flowers had cast off their many-coloured summer gowns and donned the sombre robes of autumn. The silver of the jasmine had lost its lustre; the rose wept petals as it mourned the passing of summer; the narcissus bade its companion’s farewell and made ready to depart. . . As the garden slowly withered, so did Leyli: her spring was over, made winter by the freezing finger of Fate, by the icy touch of life's most trying tribulations.”

Nezami Ganjavi, From Leyli va Majnoon-adapted by Colin Turner and published by Blake in London, 1970

Peace and love

Rona Sinni