Spiritual connection: Soulful retreat into a land of Sufis

French scholar talks about journey of soul searching , seeking Divine.

ISLAMABAD:

There are many paths leading to God within, I chose the path of music and dance. This quote of Sufi poet and scholar Rumi, summarises the way of life of a wandering Sufi, who seeks the divine through music, art and dance.

A French scholar Dr Pierre Alain Baud lent insight into Sufism in his lecture titled “A glance at Sufi music from Konya-Turkey to Kushtia-Bangladesh,” at Kuch Khaas on Wednesday.

Baud began with the verses of Rumi. “Perhaps what drew many towards Sufism is the portrayal of a king seeking God, a set of ways offered to the world possibly from the Quran,” he said.

He further elaborated on the quest of the Sufi to explore the Batin (literally meaning hidden in Arabic language). “Since Sufis find solace in this soul search, they strive to evoke deeper states of consciousness through soulful poetry, music and dance,” he added.



Baud has travelled extensively following the Sufi path in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan. He has written a biography of the late Sufi singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, with whom he worked for several years. The book, initially released in French, is about to be published in Urdu from Lahore and in English from Delhi. Currently an art director at Arts Nomades, a research and promotion venture, he also works as an associate researcher with the World Religions and Culture Department of Dhaka University.

In an impromptu move, Baud invited the audience to a mystical journey through the world of Sufi music, brushing upon various traditions of Sufi music from different parts of the world including Turkey and Bangladesh. A video showcased snippets of “spiritual concerts” at Rumi’s shrine in Konya, Turkey. A solo flute performance had everyone close their eyes and take in the lyrical vibrations.



Clad in cloaks of black and white, each whirling dervish rotated with his right hand pointing towards the sky seeking a connection with the creator while the left hand pointed towards the ground, symbolic of a connection with the world.

Furthermore, an audio of Sufi music from Azerbaijan won applause from the audience while a video of travelling “faqirs” from Bangladesh singing in Bengali, showed their movement around the world. In the end, a recording  of Nusrat’s masterpiece Allah Hu mesmerised the audience.

The lecture was organised by The Institute for Preservation of Art and Culture.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2013.