Layla and Majnun
The ancient story of Layla and Majnun is a classic tale of two lovers who were kept apart by societal and familial circumstances. The story is based on the real-life tale of Layla and majnun, two lovers from a tribe in the Arab Peninsula many centuries ago.
Mad and sad was majnu… because of his love lorn condition for Laila…He was crying day and night, screaming in pangs of love. The whole village used to laugh at Majnu but also felt pity that he had gone mad in his love for Laila. And people asked him what is there in that girl? Laila was a simple girl. She was more ordinary than ordinary. Majnu made her Laila. Even the king of the village got worried. This Majnu goes around shouting, “Laila-Laila-Laila”. So one day, the king summoned Majnu in his court and said, enough is enough. I see you are hurting so bad and suffering all day, all night, and I see you have no peace inside! And then the King made the most beautiful girls of the palace stand up in front of Majnu and said, ” Here – do you see these twelve girls standing in front of you! Choose any one you want. Choose any one from among them. Laila is nothing in comparison to these girls. And I have seen your Laila, She is just an ordinary, average, simple girl! Choose any of these girls. Each one of them are a gem.
The legend has it that Majnu didn’t even look at the girls. He said to the King, “Have you seen Laila? No, you didn’t recognize her. Because Majnu’s eyes are needed to see Laila. If you want to see Laila, look through my eyes. I can see her. I can only see Laila everywhere. My eyes do not see any other woman.
And then he left the palace calling and crying again for Laila. Later that day, Majnu got the news that Laila’s father was now getting really worried. It had now become big scandal and it was becoming v difficult for Laila’s family…And Laila’s father was rich and Majnu was just a village bum…he had nothing, no money, no job, no social standing…And by now everyone in the whole village was talking about this. And the father could not even marry his daughter to Majnu, because majnu did not have any job, or money, or a house or any social status. It is one thing to shout “Laila-Laila”, but to settle down is quite another. Writing poetry is one thing, maintaining a household is quite another. Being a lover is one thing, but being a husband is a totally another thing.
Anyone can become a lover. Because it takes nothing to fall in love. So Laila’s worried father thought hard about the situation and decided to leave the village itself. Majnu got the news that Laila was leaving the village at night. So he stood outside the village hiding under a banyan tree to see Laila for the last time. The convoy of Laila’s family left the village in the dark of the night and as they passed through, he saw Laila for the last time.
But then he had no desire to come back to the village. And it is said that then he never came back to the village. And the story goes that he just kept standing under the same tree, hoping that someday Laila would return. And he kept calling “Laila-Laila”. Gradually it so happened that his body got attached to the tree. And he kept standing and waiting at the same place…and by and by, his back and the bark of the tree became one. Staying in the same place, he became one with the tree. Years later, Laila returned, looking for him. So in the village she asked; and she was told by the villagers that since the day you left, he has been standing under the banyan tree.
And now he was not even visible. Just sometimes, in the silence of the night, the voice of “Laila Laila” could be heard coming from that tree.
The story of each one of us is also not any different. If you dig deep inside yourself, you will realize that there is a Layla and a majnu Inside all of us. Layla is nothing but “the purpose” of our life. She is our soul calling us to recognize it, to actualize it, and to fulfill its purpose. And like Majnu, you will feel restless, unfulfilled, distraught if you live without meeting your inner Laila, your true inner self – your soul’s purpose. Can you feel it? Have you ever met your Laila? And if you are lucky enough to recognize her, aka your soul’s purpose, and you know what it is and that you are really passionate about it…it could be being an artist, or a cook or a painter or a traveler, or a writer or oh well, a ballerina, or an actor….then just like the people in the village, the people around you – your parents, your friends, your spouse or your boyfriend or girlfriend are going to ask you why are you so hung up on pursuing this idea, this passion, its not going to help you pay your bills. Be reasonable, think about it. Like the king of the village and like all the villagers, they are also going to ask you, “What’s so special about this idea, this passion of yours?” No one is going to care for it and you will be poor and how will you live off a wealthy life or that “dream lifestyle.”? But only you know why your heart wants to pursue it. Its your calling. Just like Laila, people may not find anything special about your deepest inner calling. And the whole social setup will push you to follow the social blueprint. To get a “normal” job…and pay our bills and get “settled”. Afterall trying your hearts calling may not fit the social blueprint of the normal system. So the whole system has a blueprint and if you do not follow the blueprint you will be treated like Majnu who is crying Laila Laila..which is your deepest heart calling… your true love, your passion. You will also hear things like, passion is one thing, and being “responsible” is another… you have to be responsible, make a career, get a “proper job”, and “fall inline!” And so many people fall in line! And live an unfulfilled, compromised life, existing inside the social blueprint system.
But once you find your Laila, aka your purpose and you can have the courage to follow it then this whole world is yours and everything in it will be a bliss and you may not live the socially accepted definition of material wealth or success by their definition, but I can tell you that you wll live a life of satisfaction, fulfillment, bliss and beauty. Just dig deeper, discover your life passion, your true purpose and have the courage to follow it. And somewhere there, there may be a chance that we may just meet.