Yesterday evening, enjoying the lovely February sunset and Rashid Khan’s stunningly rendered kanha re, a drut bandish in Raag Kedar, two things struck me: that a blistering summer will be upon us soon and that Indian music is the one truly plural, unifying treasure of Indian culture. Whether it is Bollywood songs, folk or classical traditions, the vast and diverse body of Indian music genuinely knows no religion, caste or creed and never has.
My grandfather was a loving, well read, knowledgeable man; well versed in the religious traditions and mythology of all religions. Even as a devout Parsi, he was particularly devoted to Lord Krishna. It was from him that I learned to sing my first bhajans. For me, growing up was an unconscious imbibing of all religions, all musical traditions that started early thanks to my grandfather, the musical talents of my Bua Yasmin & Uncle Darius and the diverse secular musical tastes of my own parents.
Trained in classical vocal Indian music by various gurus from age 8 onwards, I learned some of the most beautiful bandishes from all my gurus. However, I learned some of the most stunning compositions in praise of Gods and Goddesses from my Guru Ustad Shaukat Hussain Khan. The room of Saptak Music School in Ahmedabad where I learned the finer nuances of khayal gayaki from my guru was a shrine to Goddess Saraswati, Lord Ganesh and others; Baal Gopal being a particular favourite of my Ustadji.
Indian classical traditions have in particular always been very inclusive and have evolved out of the efforts of singers and poets of all faiths. Where, on the one hand there are bandishes about Krishna Leela and Ma Saraswati, Durga and others from the pantheon of Gods and Goddesses, there are compositions in praise of Allah as well. If Parveen Sultana has sung Meera bhajans and some exquisite renditions in praise of Ma Bhawani, Pt Jasraj has sung passionately in Raag Malkaus about Mero Allah Meherbaan and Kumar Gandhrava enraptured us with the most unforgettably beautiful Kabir bhajans.
Is there any Indian who has not heard this marvelous creation from the 1952 film Baiju Bawra, composed by Naushad, written by Shakeel Badayuni and sung by Mohammad Rafi; arguably one of the most beautiful bhajans ever made? The body of Indian film music is littered with instances such as these. Similarly the tradition of Sufi music in India is robust not only in Bollywood but the non-film sphere as well. Hindus as well as Muslims have created music not out of any religious conviction; simply out of a formless spiritual seeking; out of the sheer love for music.
The rustic, robust voices of folk music follow the same traditions of diversity and inclusivity. Rajasthan’s Langa and Manganiyar are clans of performing artistes of international renown. They all follow the Islamic faith but for ages now, have sung songs based on Hindu mythology and in praise of Hindu deities. The powerful voices of Ahmed Khan, late Ustad Rehmat Khan, Bundu Khan, Kachra Khan and many others have taken Indian folk music to the world. Many of their compositions are set in folk based raags such as Maand, these performers sing evocative songs about the kesariya baalma and about Rajasthani valour, accompanied by traditional instruments such as the khadtaal, kamaicha, sarangi, morchang, dholak and ek tara among others.
For several years now, even MTV coke studio has carried forward our inclusive traditions; sometimes fusing Sufi poems with Vedic chants, at times creating compositions that are in praise of the almighty and yet devoid of any particular religious colour.
Our classical musicians have dedicated their lives to keeping alive our cultural heritage; a heritage that remains staunchly undivided and continues to thrive devoid of any one religious identity. Rather it is a celebration of all religious identities.
The success of Bollywood singers and composers as well as non-film musicians has based itself on talent, originality and ability to innovate over the years; never has religious denomination been a deciding factor in the way that music is created or consumed. The Indian music lover is also quite unconcerned with these irrelevancies. Who cares whether the song is about Krishna or Raam or Allah or Jesus? Who cares whether the song was composed by R D Burman or A R Rahman - both geniuses to my mind?
When I get goose bumps and my eyes well up simply because the music is that beautiful, I silently thank all those tremendously talented and passionate people who kept and continue to keep our music alive and evolving; who keep the spirit and the idea of India robustly alive. I think we all thank them.
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