As I look forward to going back home to India I find myself listening to Bollywood music more often. Perhaps my mind is subconsciously hyping me up for the overdue return.
A particular kind of Bollywood music that puts me at ease is the one that is inspired by Sufi music, the devotional music of the Islamic mystics. It has long been a staple of Indian music, introduced by the Mughals in the 16th century of the Common Era. Initially sung in religious settings by followers of a certain sect of Islam, this music is now blasted on car stereos, in nightclubs, and performed live by fusion bands at festivals.
Sufi music manifests itself in many forms, though its most recognisable elements include the accompanying harmonium or percussion. These instruments feature to give the singer’s voice a unique melodic character that helps augment the stretched harmonics used to set the stage before going on to the main stanzas in the song.The music almost always references bonding through love, drawing from the early twelfth century mystics who believed that they could attain inner peace through emotionally charged singing and dancing. Now however, the lyrics are far removed from religion or spirituality. Significant others, lost lovers, and even alcohol are more common topics.
A ghazal is a poetic form associated with Sufi music with poetic couplets and a refrain, usually sung solo, often used in Bollywood movies. It is specifically written from the point of view of the unrequited lover, expressing the pain of loss, and the beauty of love in spite of the pain. Ghazals regularly feature in rom-coms and dramas alike to break the narrative and to provide emphasis at significant plot points. Given that most Bollywood movies concern some (tolerably) cheesy romance, ghazals make up a fair chunk of the charts on a regular basis.
After a noticeable lull in the genre in the 70s, Sufi music has been revived by artists like Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, his nephew Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and Kailash Kher, who have collaborated with others to release contemporary albums.They lead bands that are inspired by early Sufi musicians, taking lyrics for ancient ballads but adding modern flair to transform ordinary songs into masterpieces that are cool enough for the young but still hold deep meaning for the oldies. Incidentally, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and The Fusion Project will be performing at the Sheldonian on 25 May this year, and I have no doubt that it will be a full house.
Sufi music is widely-liked for the aura of mystery that shrouds the genre. Most Sufi music is written in Urdu, which shares most of the language structure with Hindi, but uses words derived from Arabic that aren’t colloquially used. Urdu crams emotion into far fewer words than it is possible in Hindi, further adding to the poetic charm of the composition while catering to the personal interpretations of every listener.
Artists and audiences famously have shed many tears after becoming overwhelmed with emotion during performances, showing just how much power it holds on both sides of the stage. These songs linger on in one’s mind for much longer than the movies they feature in, and the public feel a deep connection with this form of art. They would certainly be on my playlist to lessen the pain of the gruelling flight back home.
