Poet Bulleh Shah's mesmerising poem recording a conversation between God and a king was put to melody through singer Rashmi Agarwal whose vocals soared through an evening of celebration of sufi and bhakti music and dance here.
Rashmi also engaged in a 'jugalbandi' with kathak exponent Vidha Lal to various immortal verses by Amir Khusro, Meerabai, Bulleh Shah, Kabir and others at an event 'Roohdari- Mystic Notes & Dancing Toes' organised by the National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH) last evening.
Sufism propagates spiritualism and closeness to divinity that forms the cornerstone of human existence and Sufi saints from the medieval period imbibed this ethos into their followers.
"We are convinced that culture is the best medium, whether it is in form of literature, art, dance or music. It is the best medium to reach out to the people to stir a change in thinking, to stir a change in their mindset and emphasise what the need of the hour is in the country and the world," Ashok Sajjanhar, Secretary, NFCH, said.
After Rashmi's mesmerising rendition of Bulleh Shah's poetry dancer Vidha took to the stage and performed a 'jugalbandi' with the singer.
Compositions based on dadra, thumri, sufi and bhakti poems were presented.
Choreographed by Vidha Lal, the 'jugalbandi' celebrated oneness with the divine, a spiritual process that promotes love, brotherhood and amity.
"Music and dance are food for the soul," Shashi Tripathi, a diplomat who was present at the event said.
"They have a language of their own - that is the language of love, poetry, peace, goodwill and humanity which transports the audience from the mundane to the spiritual," she said.
The audience was treated to the spellbinding brilliance of Sufi 'kalams' which speak of the oneness with all beings, and praise the Master for His creation.
NFCH, an autonomous organisation with Home Ministry, seeks to promote communal harmony and national integration. Among others, its activities include granting financial support for rehabilitation of child victims of communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence.
