Soul songs

Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Melody bytes Anita Singhvi performing at the launch of her new album, Tajalli, in New Delhi.

"Sufism is for purifying one's soul. It is not for worldly people, it is about transcending the mortal pleasures and falling in love with God," says Sufi singer Anita Singhvi.

Anita, who has crossed the benchmark of 200 concerts in India and overseas, has just come up with her fourth album, Tajalli. "Tajalli", which means a ray of light, has eight tracks and is produced by HMV SaReGaMa. "These are traditional sufiana kalaams by the likes of Hazrat Amir Khusrao and Arif Khairabadi, I have composed them in traditional sufi style," says Anita. "I dedicate this album to my guru Anjali Banerjee who gave me hours and hours of taleem. I have tried to maintain the essence of Sufism as much as possible," she adds.

Anita has been learning music since the age of seven under the guidance of Pandit Kshir Sagar. Thereafter, she pursued the Visharad course at the Bhatkhande Sangeet Institute, Delhi. She has had guidance from Mujahid Hussain Khan Saheb of the Rampur Sehaswan gharana, Shanti Hiranand, Anjali Banerjee and Begum Muneer Khatoon of Allahabad. "Years of riyaaz is the least of an offering I could pay to sufism. Sufism is the quest for perfection, and through this questone inches closer to Khuda."

With fast-paced music enveloping popular culture, and many youngsters falling for it, Anita remarks, "Today's youth want everything at their own pace. Sufi music is not something you can enjoy on your i-pod while travelling in the Metro. Sufism requires a mood, one must seek purification to be able to recognise the bliss that sufi shayri offers. In fact, if a ghazal or a sufiana kalaam is sung in an appropriate environment in the traditional way, it is not possible to not enjoy it. Sufi is roohani sangeet, and appeals directly to the soul."

She adds, "Bollywood music is business, and business and Sufi music do not go together. Mediocrity has become the norm, whereas Sufism is the quest for perfection. They are opposite poles. It is my prayer that the culture of Sufi music is spread among the youth, and my album is just a small effort in that direction." She culminates saying, "Sufism is God's message to mankind. Every soul must accept it." At the album's launch function held in New Delhi's The Lalit hotel, Anita regaled those present with some of her latest Sufi compositions.

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