Sunday, October 08, 2006

Enjoy the Soothing Effect of Sufiana

By Syed Wajid Ali - The Times Of India
Mon 06 March, 2006

Sufism is a mystical dimension of Islam, transcending all religions. It is a way of experiencing truth and self-realisation and in the process takes the seeker on a path of serenity, piety and divinity by means of love and devotion to God.
Truth is the substance. Truth is the courage of each, it is the power of flight; some fly and some remain in the garden, some go beyond the stars.
Sufi music is evolved and illuminated. It is the enchanting outcome of the interface between Hinduism and Islam. The word ‘sufi’ comes from the Arabic word ‘suf’ which means pure.
Sufi music is all about the relationship between the moods of the lover-poet-saint and the beloved. Sufism originated with the foundation of the Chishti order in Khorasam, Persia. Sufi compositions contain effusive verses with an esoteric dimension written in an ornate language.
Sufi poetry has found expression in several languages like Persian, Arabic, Awadhi Bruj, Khariboli and Punjabi. Hazrat Amir Khusrau, Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, Baba Bulle Shah, Ghulam Farid and Allama-Iqbal were some of the finest Sufi exponents.

Dargah Sharif at Ajmer resting place of Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is renowned for its qawwals and is a popular pilgrimage destination. It is where one can feel intensely the Sufi experience.
Particularly on Thursdays, the entire area of the Dargah Sharif is suffused with spirituality. Qawwalis, raga-based compositions, are sung in tandem with the combination of harmonium and tabla. This is followed by ecstatic and vigorous clapping, repetitive and forceful, making the listener experience a spiritual high.
Renowned qawwals like Farid and Chand Nizami, Ghulam and Sultan Hussain Niyazi and Hamsar from the Delhi Gharana display the art with perfect synchronisation of percussionists in a chorus, transporting the audience out of the world.

Experiencing limitlessness, participants and listeners sway some even announce that they are renouncing all possessions and relate to the beats of the chorus, a blending of sufi art and music, what is called sufiana.
Amir Khusrau’s poetry straddles the earthy Hindi, Bruj, and sophisticated Persian, unravelling layers of meaning and nuances. His poetry provides the base to thirsty wanderers, to rejoice and meditate on the fundamental mystery of life.
He created divine musical poetry that reached out to truth. His interest in Indian ragas created mesmeric blends of Arabic and Iranian compositions.
Sufism transcends all boundaries of language and religion. Sufi music has the power to heal and its philosophy has a soothing effect. Qawwali is an expression of love between the lover and the beloved that elevates the spirit, bringing God and performer together.
It deepens love and devotion to God, making the listener exalt in spiritual ecstasy and frenzy. In such exaltations, the listener could slip into a mystical trance.
Qawwali recitals whether of Qual, Basant, Rang, Kaafi, Hamd or Naat incorporate classical and folk music, borrowing from forms like tarana, dadra, thumri and khyal. The eclectic synthesis produces a mesmerising effect, generating a feeling of tranquillity.

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Sunday, October 08, 2006

Enjoy the Soothing Effect of Sufiana
By Syed Wajid Ali - The Times Of India
Mon 06 March, 2006

Sufism is a mystical dimension of Islam, transcending all religions. It is a way of experiencing truth and self-realisation and in the process takes the seeker on a path of serenity, piety and divinity by means of love and devotion to God.
Truth is the substance. Truth is the courage of each, it is the power of flight; some fly and some remain in the garden, some go beyond the stars.
Sufi music is evolved and illuminated. It is the enchanting outcome of the interface between Hinduism and Islam. The word ‘sufi’ comes from the Arabic word ‘suf’ which means pure.
Sufi music is all about the relationship between the moods of the lover-poet-saint and the beloved. Sufism originated with the foundation of the Chishti order in Khorasam, Persia. Sufi compositions contain effusive verses with an esoteric dimension written in an ornate language.
Sufi poetry has found expression in several languages like Persian, Arabic, Awadhi Bruj, Khariboli and Punjabi. Hazrat Amir Khusrau, Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, Baba Bulle Shah, Ghulam Farid and Allama-Iqbal were some of the finest Sufi exponents.

Dargah Sharif at Ajmer resting place of Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is renowned for its qawwals and is a popular pilgrimage destination. It is where one can feel intensely the Sufi experience.
Particularly on Thursdays, the entire area of the Dargah Sharif is suffused with spirituality. Qawwalis, raga-based compositions, are sung in tandem with the combination of harmonium and tabla. This is followed by ecstatic and vigorous clapping, repetitive and forceful, making the listener experience a spiritual high.
Renowned qawwals like Farid and Chand Nizami, Ghulam and Sultan Hussain Niyazi and Hamsar from the Delhi Gharana display the art with perfect synchronisation of percussionists in a chorus, transporting the audience out of the world.

Experiencing limitlessness, participants and listeners sway some even announce that they are renouncing all possessions and relate to the beats of the chorus, a blending of sufi art and music, what is called sufiana.
Amir Khusrau’s poetry straddles the earthy Hindi, Bruj, and sophisticated Persian, unravelling layers of meaning and nuances. His poetry provides the base to thirsty wanderers, to rejoice and meditate on the fundamental mystery of life.
He created divine musical poetry that reached out to truth. His interest in Indian ragas created mesmeric blends of Arabic and Iranian compositions.
Sufism transcends all boundaries of language and religion. Sufi music has the power to heal and its philosophy has a soothing effect. Qawwali is an expression of love between the lover and the beloved that elevates the spirit, bringing God and performer together.
It deepens love and devotion to God, making the listener exalt in spiritual ecstasy and frenzy. In such exaltations, the listener could slip into a mystical trance.
Qawwali recitals whether of Qual, Basant, Rang, Kaafi, Hamd or Naat incorporate classical and folk music, borrowing from forms like tarana, dadra, thumri and khyal. The eclectic synthesis produces a mesmerising effect, generating a feeling of tranquillity.

No comments: