Rumi Hai

Rumi Hai’, an hour-long mehfil dedicated to the life and works of Persian poet Rumi.

Through this mehfil, We wish to bring to light these underappreciated gems of Rumi which have gotten lost in the fame of his more famous works.

The program is an hour-long biographical glimpse into the life of Rumi, his inspiration for writing, and his signature philosophy on life’s many conundrums.

The story of Rumi is revealed through a Blend of "Dastangoi" and "Naqqali" - two ancient storytelling forms from Persia.

The program will be helmed by Ashwin Afraad - telling Rumi's life story through his own original ghazals, recited in both, the Persian language that it was originally written in, followed by a Hindi-Urdu translation as well.

About Ashwin Afraad

The show is created and performed by Ashwin Chitale, who discovered the beauty of Farsi through its incomparable literature.

Ashwin has been learning the Persian language for over four years now. To develop his language skills beyond the scope of his language course,

He studied Persian literature and discovered a deep love for Farsi poetry and storytelling.

He also holds a Master's degree in philosophy, which helped him gain a deeper understanding of Persian philosophy and the way of life as depicted through its literature.

Ashwin won the National Award for Best Child Artist for his debut Marathi film “Shwas” in 2004. Having a background in Performing arts and the Persian language inspired him to create a performance that showcases the beauty of this language through the poetry and philosophy of Maulana Rumi, who is regarded as one of the most iconic Farsi writers of all time.