I hit upon an interesting article in this week’s Ajit Magazine [On left side click on Ajit Magazine then scroll down on the page to read the article ishqe di gali vichon…]. An interesting topic is touched by the writer.

The song chaiyan chaiyan from Dil Se was being promoted as a sufi song and Gulzar saab wanted to know is it really so ? As Gulzar says that ‘sufi’ was a ideology of fakir kind of people so there can be sufi shayari but not sufi music. Yes, the way that sufi shayari is recited can be called as sufi music according to the understanding of a common man. So its not at all fair to see a normal bollywood song as a sufi composition.

Another viewpoint that is discussed is that in past few popular filmi & non-filmi songs are being called as sufi. These songs being based on alaap and those kind of styles are sufi for a common man. Rahat & Rafaqat Ali Khan’s success in recent past can be attributed to this.

So such kind of songs wrapped in a Sufi wrapper are getting popular these days without many people understanding what sufi is. Definitely we need to get deep into this to enjoy the real soul touch’ness of sufi shayari and sangeet.

On a bit different but musical note, listen these 2 albums of Surinder Kaur. Real beauty, sweet songs…

Golden Classics – Vol : 1

Golden Classics – Vol : 2

Sidhu