True to the profound provenance of Sufi music, Sama’a, the NCPA’s festival dedicated to the genre, engages audiences on a deeper level through a spectrum of offerings. This year’s edition invites scholars and practitioners, including Nizami Bandhu and Rekha and Vishal Bhardwaj, to bring the essence of Sufism to the stage.
By Vidhi Salla
Love is at the core of Sufism—the mystical branch of Islam that gained momentum in the 13th century through the teachings of poet, scholar and mystic, Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi, popularly known as Mevlana Rumi. A Sufi is a traveller seeking to merge with the divine through the path of love. All the rituals of Sufism are designed to forge a direct connection with God. One such spiritual practice is that of Sama’a, which combines music, dance and recitation of prayer and poetry in order to reach a state of ecstatic devotion. The art forms associated with Sufism—whirling, reciting poetry and qawwali— have all emerged from the Sama’a ceremony. Owing to the inclusive and unguarded nature of Sufism, these art forms have transcended into non-ceremonial spaces, allowing spiritual seekers and art connoisseurs to engage with them in performance venues.
Sama’a: The Mystic Ecstasy is one such festival at the NCPA that showcases concerts, screenings and lectures to help audiences understand Sufi ideology through the performing arts. This year’s line-up includes an illustrated talk by Dr. Naman Ahuja about a medieval text called the Chandayan, an archival video presentation of the Wadali Brothers’ Sufi concert at the NCPA in 2011, a qawwali performance by Nizami Bandhu and a bouquet of Sufiana songs by Rekha and Vishal Bhardwaj.
Art from the Archives
During the reign of the Tughlaq dynasty in the 14th and 15th centuries, pre-dating the Mughal period, a tale of divine love called the Chandayan became popular in Awadh, Bundelkhand, Chhattisgarh and Western Bihar. This folklore was converted into a literary text in the local dialect of Hindavi by Sufi poet Mulla Daud, a nephew of the Chishti saint Chirag-e-Dehli. Chandayan is the story of Chanda, an unparalleled beauty and daughter of a Govar landlord, and her lover Lorik— both married but not to each other—who fight several obstacles to be together. Between 1475 and 1525, the Chandayan was illustrated in different painting styles, replicated in various parts of India. Some of these texts include extensive illustrations of Lorik and Chanda’s story while offering a wondrous window into medieval India. For example, one canto illustrates Chanda’s wardrobe and the expensive textiles she adorned such as patola or doriya sourced from all over India, while another demonstrates the different types of game consumed at festive feasts along with the kind of leaves the meals were served in. Only five original manuscripts of the Chandayan survive and are scattered in different parts of the world, namely Berlin, Mumbai, Varanasi, Manchester while the fifth is divided between Lahore, Karachi and Chandigarh.
On 7th February, Naman Ahuja, Professor of Indian Art and Architecture at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and General Editor at The Marg Foundation will deliver a lecture titled ‘The Chandayan: A Sufi Tale of Ishq between Languages, Cultures & People’ as part of the Sama’a festival. He will present projections of some remarkable paintings from all five manuscripts to elaborate on the pre-Mughal painting traditions of Mandu, Jaunpur, Delhi and other places. “I will try to explain what the significance of this story is for us to understand the history of Hindi literature, to understand how Sufism gained its appeal in India and what kind of spiritual message was communicated through the ishq that Lorik and the other protagonists experienced,” he tells this writer. “The story, pictures, script and history of the Chandayan and its proliferation give us a very different version of the place that religion occupied in the lives of people. It shows us the lives of Hindus who were not Brahmins, nor did they seem to be too involved in the rituals held by the upper castes. Its language and calligraphy tell us how Persian writers and speakers who were coming to Hindustan wanted to learn the culture and language of India. It reveals a version of Sufism that assimilated people who worshipped at temples or became yogis.”
In 2024, The Marg Foundation published The Chandayan, an illustrated work that contextualises the art, language, literary traditions and religion of the period, translated by Richard J. Cohen with accompanying essays by Dr. Ahuja, Vivek Gupta and Qamar Adamjee. How does the racy soap-operatic story of Lorik and Chanda become representative of divine love and Sufism? Dr. Ahuja explains, “The audience is confronted by the protagonist’s conflict between ostensible duty towards his wife versus the madness of his desire for his lover. His love for Chanda becomes a symbol of divine love—and the Chandayan emerges as a means through which different types and expressions of ishq come to be understood through the protagonist.”
Ishq or love is also the key sentiment in a Sufi song made popular by the Wadali Brothers, Puranchand Wadali and the late Pyarelal Wadali:
Tu maane ya na maane dildara,
Asaan te tennu rabb maneya
(Whether you agree or not, my beloved,
I have considered you my god)
On the same evening of 7th February, the NCPA will present an archival video recording of the Wadali Brothers in concert on 12th November 2011 at the Tata Theatre. The formidable duo carved a niche for themselves singing, in the Punjabi style, Sufi qalams of poets such as Amir Khusrau, Baba Farid Sahib, Bulleh Shah, Shah Hussain and Shiv Kumar Batalvi. They specialised in semi-classical and folk subgenres such as gurbani, heer, kafi, ghazals and bhajans and gave memorable performances to packed audiences before the demise of Pyarelal Wadali in 2018. The brothers have lent their vocals to Bollywood songs such as ‘Rangrez’ (Tanu Weds Manu), ‘Waris Shah Nu’ (Pinjar), ‘Ik Tu Hi Tu Hi’ (Mausam) and many more. The video presentation will be a revisiting of their memorable performance at the NCPA as well as a tribute to Pyarelal Wadali.
All in the family
If you visit the famed dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi, especially on a festive evening, you are likely to encounter a qawwali performance by Nizami Bandhu, who shot to fame after being featured in the song, ‘Kun Faya Kun’ from the Hindi film Rockstar (2011). The trio is led by Chand Nizami and includes his nephews Shadab and Sohrab Nizami. The Nizamis trace their heritage to a period around the 14th century when their forefathers, legacy musicians from the Sikandara gharana of UP, moved to Delhi. Amir Khusrau, a pioneer of poetry, music and language and a devotee of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, founded a group of qawwali singers called Qawwal Bachche and the ancestors of Nizami Bandhu were part of this original group. Chand and his nephews continue to reside inside the compound of the Nizamuddin Auliya dargah, the birthplace of qawwali and the resting place of Auliya and his mureed (disciple) Khusrau.
Qawwali is derived from the Arabic word qawl, meaning to speak or utter. A qawwal repeatedly utters certain phrases of a devotional song building it up to a crescendo that often sends worshippers into a trancelike state. According to Nizami Bandhu, “One of the most powerful ways to spread the message of humanity and the teachings of Sufism is through music. Our family has been carrying forward this sacred tradition for over seven centuries, using music to touch hearts and souls. We’ve witnessed people deeply moved, some even brought to tears, as they connect with the divine through our melodies. It’s a humbling experience and a testament to the power of Sufi music.”
Usually performed within the sacred space of the dargah, one of the key factors behind the qawwali’s foray into concert halls was the international fame achieved by the ‘King of Qawwali’, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. What is it like for traditional dargahi qawwals such as the members of Nizami Bandhu to perform in front of a concert audience? “Whenever we perform, we do so with Allah in our hearts and minds. The only difference between performing at a dargah and at public concerts is the context. At public concerts, we have the liberty to explore a wider range of compositions. However, when performing at a dargah, we adhere to the principles of Sufism and maintain adab (respect and decorum).” At the NCPA, the trio will be performing soulful Sufi favourites including ‘Allah Hu’, ‘Chhap Tilak’, ‘Man Kunto Maula’, ‘Ae Re Sakhi More Piya Ghar Aaye’, ‘Dum Mast Qalandar’ and many more.
In tune with each other
When one listens to Rekha Bhardwaj’s voice in songs like ‘Tere Ishq Mein’, ‘Ranjha Ranjha’, ‘Kabira’, ‘Ishq Ka Rang Safed Hai Baba’, it appears as though her voice is tailor-made for Sufi songs owing to its inherent essence of melancholy. Sufism has played a crucial role in the singer’s life. In the winter of 2002, she visited the Osho Ashram in Pune where she learned the Sufi meditative forms of whirling and dhikr (rhythmic recitation as a form of worship). Thereafter, she attended Sufi retreats in Taiwan and Turkey including the annual Shab-e-Urs that commemorates the day Rumi left his earthly body. The year 2002 also marked the release of Bhardwaj’s album of Sufi compositions, Ishqa Ishqa, which gave her much-deserved musical recognition. “Any song that I sing,” she says, “is an offering to the Almighty. I think that’s the essence of Sufism, the path to walk on, to have that quality where you offer everything. I think every day is a day of learning something new, about life, about this attitude of being on this path as a seeker.”
An integral part of Bollywood, Bhardwaj finds it interesting when composers use contemporary sounds to give Sufi music a new flavour. “Some of the songs are really nice especially in qawwali form or lyrically when they convey the essence of Sufism. There’s a sense of sukoon, a healing, calming effect, what is known as hal—an important part of Sufism,” she says. “When there’s a repetition of certain phrases and it creates a kind of vacuum, it elevates you and transports you to that trance. Qawwali has always been a part of our films, especially the older ones. When I think about it, songs such as ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’ [Jodhaa Akbar], ‘Kun Faya Kun’ [Rockstar] and the qawwali from Maqbool, ‘Tu Mere Rubaru Hai’ come to mind.”
Bhardwaj comes from a musical family. Her early years were influenced by her father and five siblings hosting music sessions in their home for family and friends. Further sweetening her musical destiny is her marriage to filmmaker and composer Vishal Bhardwaj with whom she has “an extraordinary musical compatibility”. Filmmaker, screenwriter, music composer and playback singer, Vishal wears many hats. He admitted in an interview that he became a composer to woo Rekha; the couple first met in college where Rekha was his senior and a well-known singer on the campus. Their collaborations have resulted in great music, with a certain je ne sais quoi, both onstage and in the recording studio.
This will not be Bhardwaj’s first time at Sama’a. “In 2016, I did a lot of originals including Persian couplets blended with zikr, Amir Khusrau’s ‘Chhap Tilak’ and ‘Ae Ri Sakhi’… those were traditional compositions. And of course, songs from my album Ishqa Ishqa.” Film songs did not pass the muster back then. “Despite requests from the audience, I turned them down. I was being a bit purist and rigid about it. I had also invited a Sufi facilitator, a fellow Osho sanyasi, to join me. His energy was so beautiful and when we both whirled onstage, it created a mesmerising and mystical effect.”
Bhardwaj is eagerly looking forward to this month’s performance. “In the years since I last performed at Sama’a, I have matured and grown a lot. This time also I will sing some traditional qalams, and ‘Ae Ri Sakhi’ and one verse of ‘Aaj Rang Hai’, which I have composed. There will be a couple of songs from Ishqa Ishqa,” she says. Performing with Vishal offloads some of her responsibility. “His inputs make my job easier. For example, we thought to include ‘Naina Thag Lenge’ from Omkara which he will sing while I’ll sing ‘Laakad’ from the same film. Those lyrics are timeless because they have been written by Gulzar saab and composed by Vishal. Maybe ‘Kabira’ because I love the lyrics and there is scope to improvise in that song. Then there is ‘Hamri Atariya Pe’ because it has that gayaki ang. And Vishal being there, we’re also planning to sing some of his original poetry and [share with the audience] his way of composing it—tranquil, sweet as well as romantic.”
Sufi music often features renditions of 16th-century mystic saint Mirabai’s poetry. The syncretic nature of Sufism allows for a Hindu Rajput princess’s devotion to Lord Krishna to be sung alongside paeans to devout Sufi Muslim saints. Nizami Bandhu shed more light on this. “Mirabai’s devotion to Lord Krishna reflects the essence of Sufism—love, longing and union with the divine … We sing qalams written by Mirabai, blending her Bhakti tradition with Sufi music, creating a beautiful harmony of devotion and divine love.” It is rightly said about music and love that they know no boundaries.
This article was originally published in the February 2025 issue of ON Stage.