This is the seventh article in a special series by Ally Adnan that brings to life memorable incidents from the rich and fascinating life of Hazrat Amir Khusrau, whose timeless legacy continues to inspire the world.
Once, at a mehfil-e-sama at Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya’s khanaqah, Amir Khusrau recited a ghazal in the Sufi saint’s presence.
Nizamuddin Auliya was deeply movedby the recitation and asked Khusrau if there was anything he desired. Khusrau shared his concern that his poetry, although sound in form and structure, lacked the true color and sweetness of love. He longed for both.
The saint instructed him to fetch a dish of sugar that lay beneath his cot. When
Khusrau returned with it, Nizamuddin told him to eat a little of the sugar and sprinkle the rest over his head. Khusrau complied. Nizamuddin Auliya then raised
his hands in silent supplication, invoking divine favor upon Khusrau’s tongue and
pen. The Sufi saint’s prayer was heard, and the day marked a turning point in Khusrau’s poetry, which thereafter was filled with the authentic sweetness and feeling of love that he had sought for very long. His fame spread far and wide and he came to be known as the Tuti-e-Hind, the Parrot of India.
The writer lives in Dallas, Texas and writes about culture, history and the arts. He tweets @allyadnanjanjua and can be reached at [email protected]