The Rooted Sigh

شور زنجیر جنون از نفس ما پیداست
نکهت زلف‌ که پیچیده بر اندیشهٔ ما
چشم امید نداریم ز کشت دگران
دل ما دانهٔ ما، نالهٔ ما، ریشهٔ ما
— بیدل دهلوی

“The Rooted Sigh” is a site-specific performance exploring the intimate and symbolic connection between the human body, the earth, and the inward self. Beneath the exposed roots of ancient trees in Uttarakhand, I sit quietly, eyes closed, my long hair deliberately tied to each root — forming a tangible bond between my body and the earth.

Drawing inspiration from a profound verse by Persian poet Bīdel Dehlavi:

“The passion of our madness clinks like chains in our breath
It is the fragrance of hair, coiled and knotted in our thoughts
We look not to the crops of others for hope
Our heart is our seed, our sigh, and our root”
— Bīdel Dehlavi

This performance translates these poetic images into a physical gesture. My hair becomes a bridge connecting my inner world to nature — symbolizing tangled thoughts, passions, and emotions deeply rooted within the self. Each strand of hair tied to the tree roots is an echo of Bīdel’s metaphor of hair as thought, as passion, and as the intricate web of self-reflection.

By anchoring myself to these living roots, I embody the belief that true understanding, growth, and transformation emerge solely from within. The act is meditative, intimate, and deeply personal, echoing the gentle yet persistent sighs of the soul — rooted in our very being.