Allama Iqbal and Mihai Eminescu: Dialogue between Civilizatioins (Surprising Resemblance) (2005-2)

The great poets cannot be made to order. They are gifts of God to nations. They, like prophets, are closer to God than ordinary humans. When God communes with a prophet, the dialogue takes the form of “revelation”, but when He communicates with a great poet, the dialogue assumes the form of “inspiration”. Since the source of inspiration of great poets is identical, their message of unity, equality and freedom to mankind resembles even though they may belong to different nations, represent different cultural traditions, and live in different periods of history in different parts of the world. The discovering similarity in their message leads to a better understanding as this effort initiates a dialogue between nations and civilizations.
Allama lqbal is one of the foremost mentors of the Pakistani nation. Learned in history and philosophy, he employed powerful poetry to penetrate our hearts as well as waken us intellectually to recognition of ourselves as a people with not only a proud heritage but also a potential and capacity to rise to heights of human achievement.
Mihai Eminescu, one of the greatest poet of the world, is the most representative ambassador of the spiritual existence of all generations of Romanians, a foremost national poet whose verse expresses theuniverse of thoughts and feelings of his country fellows.
People in Pakistan weren’t familiar with Eminescu’s work just as people in Romania might not have heard the literary work of lqbal. But by making a comparative study of both these gre3t poets, Prof. Dr. Emil Ghitulescu, Ambassador of Romania to Pakistan, has initiated a dialogue if not between two civilisation then at least between the nations of Pakistan and Romania, materialised in two books written and published in Pakistan.
It is particularly interesting the surprising resemblance discovered by the Romanian diplomat between Eminescu and lqbal - two poets from different generations and cultural areas so far away from each other. That is perhaps why their common message is so relevant today, when mankind faces with so many differences, paradoxes and contradictions.
Both lqbal and Eminescu are intensely involved with the history and aspirations of their people. Allama lqbal’s belief in the identity, sovereign will and dignity of the Muslim nation led to the creation of Pakistan through Quaid-e-Azam’s untiring efforts. Mihai Eminescu’s poetry is equally steeped in national sentiment and the rich literary traditions of Romania. On January 15, 2004, Ambassador of Romania, Prof. Dr. Emil Ghitulescu, initiated the construction of a monument consecrated to these two great creators, symbols of their beloved nations, in order to pay a tribute to them and bring a new bond of friendship between Romania and Pakistan.
The Monument, erected in the heart of Islamabad (inaugurated on April 29, 2004), represents a combination of some of the specific characteristics of Romanian and Pakistani architecture. Regarding Romania, the Monument integrates an Endless Column, symbolizing the well-known work of the world famous Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi, the father of modern architecture. The 20-foot high Monument, the first of this kind in the Capital city, was made of reinforced concrete, bronze, granite and white marble by an ambitious team of students under the coordination of the well-known Pakistani artist Jamal Shah. The big marble book of the Monument has the effigies of Allama lqbal and Mihai Eminescu in Bronze.
Coinciding with the anniversary of 40 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Romania, this original and beautiful construction is a gift from various Pakistani groups of companies and individuals to citizens of Islamabad.
To commemorate the two great poets, Pakistan Post Office is issuing two commemorative postage stamps of Rs.51-denomination each design on January 14, 2005.