Sufiana Safar by A. R. Rahman

An NCPA Presentation

Love, longing and a search for the divine are at the core of Sufi ideology, and music is regarded as a way of deepening one’s relationship with the creator. In the Indian subcontinent, this finds expression through the genres of ghazal, qawwali and various regional folk-forms, especially from Rajasthan, Punjab and Sindh. Although mainly performed at Sufi shrines (dargahs), these genres have gained mainstream popularity today. The qawwali is especially regarded as the most accessible musical form leading to a spiritual crescendo.

A. R. Rahman, as he is popularly known…