The Persian Sufi was the cornerstone of the Persian culture. Rumi is Anatolian, not Turkish was born in Vaksh, borderlands of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. He spoke and wrote only in Farsi or Persian. We’ve got Mughals who were deeply influenced by the Sufis whether it was Akbar by Hazrat Salim Chisti or Dara Shikoh who himself was a Sufi. I realized that in order to show the effulgence of the Sufi minds as well as immense contribution over a vast period of time, we needed to embed my core character when these 3 empires were twilight.

I was looking for some kind of a link that would weave its way to Andalusia and Spain. Through research and travels, I realized there was a Sufi art form that was deeply entrenched in Mathematics and Geometry, called Girhe tile making. If you go to Kuli Khan’s “musoli” in Delhi or Dilkhusha you’d see the tile work on the “Fashad of Dilkhusha.”

Saif noted, “You’ve weaved your story around very important and crucial events that took place in history

When somebody talks about Sufism, the general image that comes to the mind is one of nostalgia of believing in complete submission.”

“They explored deeper about necessary existence if you wish, manifestation in art and creative spirit, and through the creative spirit, you can reach logical conclusions in mathematics.

Unimpeachably, Sufis were Muslims. They were not modern-day hippies. They believed in Islam. They practiced their faith, they had their khaanakaz. Most of them except the Betahakshi order believed in the tenants of Islam,” said Moin.

The book is based in 1739. Qaraar Ali, a young craftsman from Delhi witnesses the destruction of his world as he has known it. His wondrous city where he found love, spirituality, the friendship of poets and philosophers becomes a desolate, scorching hell. From the embers of his past, a journey begins; one which takes him into the depths of Sufi philosophy. Traversing spectacular landscapes of a fading Mughal Empire, a turbulent Central Asia and Persia, a culturally retreating Ottoman Empire, and declining Spanish influence, Qaraar Ali finds hope in the sacred geometry of the Sufis through which he attempts at rebuilding his life and rediscovering love. A deeply passionate love story imbued with spirituality, acceptance, compassion, and redemption, The Lost Fragrance of Infinity gives a much-deserved voice to Sufism and its contributions to humanity, art, mathematics, mysticism, and science.

The Book is published by ROLI BOOK.