GULISTAN

Gulistan, word that lingers as a nostalgic memory for Adam, Putra, and Rian, three young santri.

The word is drawn from a classical work by the Persian poet Sa’di Shirazi, titled Gulistan, meaning “The Rose Garden.” It was their ustaz who introduced the book and asked them to seek their own version of Gulistan within the pesantren they inhabited at the time. To the three friends, however, the pesantren was nothing more than a stretch of ordinary land. And so, they ran away. In their flight, they encounter another version of themselves, reflected in the figure of a humble grass-cutter. Through him, the answer to their teacher’s task is revealed. At last, they discover their 'Gulistan'.