‘Sufism connects hearts and souls’

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“In Sufism there are no barriers, mine or yours, old and new. It belongs to all and connects hearts and souls. Its power unites the singer and listener in a divine communion with the creator,” says Abida Parveen. She enthralled the audience with her soulful performance on the final day of 10th Jahan-e-Khusrau World Sufi Festival, which drew sufi lovers from all over India to Arab Ki Sarai at Humayun’s Tomb in the capital.

Abida Parveen has been an integral part of Jahan-e-Khusrau since its inception nine years ago. She performed with a group of musicians from Pakistan and India and weaved her magic with her famous rendition Dama dam mast kalandar along with other compositions including Na alfaz pahonche, Aashiq hoon tera taalib e deedar hoon tera, among others.
The evening began with a beautifully choreographed Sufi and Odissi dance performance by Zia Nath in collaboration with Smitalaya dancers Ankur Ballal, Dilip Tambe and Sanatan Chakravarty.
Abida feels the festival is unique because it has no nationality or religion. “This festival is a spiritual call which we all share and join each year to further the message of humanism and brotherhood across the world,” says the performer who sings in many languages including Urdu, Sindhi, Seraiki, Punjabi and Persian.