Landscape sets the tone and tenor
V.V. RAMANI
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The Sufi and Mystic Music Fest presented a melange of melodic forms.
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Photo: R.Shivaji Rao
HAUNTING: Hafiza Begum Chaudhury group from Assam performing Jikir-Jari Sufi songs.
Total surrender and intense energy formed the focal point of `Ruhaniyat', the Sufi and Mystic Music Festival presented by Banyan Tree, at the Madras Race Club.
It began rather tamely with a group from Madhya Pradesh led by Dayaram Sarolia singing Nirguni songs composed by Sant Kabir.
The raw, earthy voices with an underlying chord of sincerity set the mood for the evening.
The haunting, lilting melody of the Northeast flowed in the voices of the group led by Hafisa Begum Choudary in the song `Man Babonai'.
In poetic style
The booming voices, which traverse the desert sands, cast a spell with a composition in Soraiku Dialect - a combination of Sindhi, Punjabi and Multani, which had a poetry style of singing. In the song, `Sasi Punno,' a love poem, the singers infused soft, romantic touches.
The rhythmic beats by Jassu Khan, a young energetic percussionist on Khartaal (very much like our chaplakattais used in Harikatha) was so exciting that there was a special request for a tani avartanam.
A rare ritualistic form, Jagar, from Kedarnath, which followed, was a total contrast. It is interesting to know how the landscape and geographical space colours the music of each region.
The Rajasthani Folk is rendered in a full-throated voice that carries the sound across the wide expanse of sandy desert. In direct contrast, the metallic mystic chant-like voice reverberating within a cave, of the group from Kedarnath, evoked a meditative mood, enriched and empowered with an air of total surrender.
`Thakkuli,' a brass plate provided the percussive beat.
Parvati Baul presented the art form of the Bauls from Bengal, where with a percussive duggi, ektara and bells on their feet, they sing, dance and tell tales! Parvati's voice was reminiscent of film actor Devika Rani. Her performance for the Tamil siddha poetry `Nee Oru Chitira Paavai' was moving. The strong well-built, nomadic Talbelia woman, Suguni Devi, rendered love songs in a high pitched voice. The Manganiyar group led by Khachra Khan presented Sufi Khalams. Unlike the earlier Rajasthani group's renderings, here the singers powerful voices were embellished with soft, melodic flourishes. The grand finale, which had the audience applauding and cheering, was the Qawwali by Ajmeri Brothers, Shamim and Mahim Ajmeri. The group rendering of `Allah Allahoo' had meditative quality and religious fervour. The thunderous applause at the end was the response to a sublime evening of mystic music.
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