Sufi music offers a neutral space without belonging to any particular religion at a time when the public discourse is dominated by religious nationalism, says singer Dhruv Sangari.
"When there is so much unrest in the name of religion, sect and caste in the society today, Sufism is offering a neutral space to people, which does not belong to any religion in particular," says Sangari, who is in Delhi for a Sufi music event 'Jashn-e-Mohabbat' tomorrow.
Comparing Bhakti and Sufi movements, Sangari notes that people have forgotten "our shared heritage" and it was only music that could remind people of it.
"People don't know that early Bhakti and Sufi saints used the movements to rebel against the caste system and religious orthodoxy. It is very important to bring back that idea of a shared existence and culture.
"We are a very unique civilisation and we should celebrate it. Music is good at breaking barriers that we have created through religions and other such elements that separate us from others," says Sangari.
Citing the example of Amir Khusrau, Sangari says the Sufi poet penned several famous songs including 'Aaj Rang Hai', which talks of Hindu festival Holi.
"Songs like 'Aaj Rang Hai' may be taken for granted today, but these were big efforts made by the great thinkers of their era to bring people of different religions together.
"And it is not entirely forgotten today. I know Muslims in Benaras who go to Hanuman temple on Tuesday, dargah on Thursday, and mosque on Friday. They are the product of that shared heritage and mixed culture," says the singer.
While agreeing that Bollywood films and music shows are doing their part to introduce Sufi music to larger masses, he also believes that it was unfortunate that Sufi music is seen mostly as a "tool of entertainment".
"See, Sufism and Sufi music are not for entertainment. Sufism is a path to inner purification, and when we are talking about Sufi music it is simply a mean of Sufism to reach that inner purification.
"Although it is good that Bollywood has given it a platform, it has been used as a tool of entertainment," says Sangari.
Calling for a need of "deeper engagement", Sangari says that cinema is such a broad medium that it can "act as a catalyst" to bring more people to appreciate the ideology.
"You cannot simply use words like Allah, Maula aur Ali and say it is Sufi music. People in Bollywood feel audience likes Sufi so let's put a Sufi song. They don't understand the meaning, they would simply want some flavour of Sufi.
"On one side we have a song 'Tere vaste mera ishq sufiyana', which is made only for entertainment, and then there is a small shot of Nizamuddin's dargah in Rockstar, which has influenced people to move towards understanding Sufi music and Sufi culture. It shows how powerful medium like cinema can act as a catalyst," says Sangari.
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