<p>In 2011, A R Rahman’s Chennai-based music school, K M Music Conservatory, formed the K M Sufi Ensemble.</p>.<p>“The Sufi songs that Rahman composed for films were well received by audiences. The school’s director, Fathima Rafiq, Rahman’s sister, thought it would be wise to tap into this popularity by creating a Sufi music group,” says Jyoti Nair Belliappa, the group’s co-ordinator. </p>.<p>The Ensemble will be in Bengaluru on Sunday to perform a concert titled ‘Kun Faya Kun’ .</p>.<p>In a world ravaged by war, hate crimes and intolerance, everyone is looking for peace. This is what makes Sufi music relevant in modern times, believes Jyoti. “One of the most distinct features of this genre is that it is repetitive and meditative. It’s almost like going into a trance. You forget the world around you for a few minutes,” she elaborates. </p>.<p>Jyoti is confident the genre is bound to grow in popularity. “There has always been interest in Sufi music. I cannot say if it is getting more attention now, but it is definitely appreciated by different groups of people. For instance, the Ensemble has performed across the world. When we performed in Germany, we received a standing ovation which lasted almost 10 minutes,” she recalls.</p>.<p><strong>Contemporary take</strong></p>.<p>Their Bengaluru show is organised by the Indian Music Experience museum, J P Nagar. The 13-member group will perform a mix of traditional and contemporary qawwalis. Apart from popular numbers like ‘Khwaja mere khwaja’, ‘Kun faya kun’, ‘Man kunto maula’ and ‘Dum mast qalandar’, they will also present less known songs and original compositions of noted musician Munna Shaokath Ali. </p>.<p>A song titled ‘Yeh dil mera tum pe sadke’ has been translated from a track in the Tamil film ‘Sangamam’, reveals Jyoti. ‘Al madad maula’, from the film ‘Mangal Pandey’ and ‘Zikr’ from ‘Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero’ are some other songs that will be performed. “The former was originally written by Ali and is a love song. For the group, Ali rewrote the lyrics to give it a more Sufi feel,” she shares. </p>.<p>The group is known for its contemporary take on qawwalis. The rendition of the songs, the harmonies, the melodies and the arrangement are tweaked to give the music some contemporary colour. “For instance, we use percussion pads, which is not traditionally used in the genre,” explains Jyoti, who trained under Ali. </p>.<p>The performances are generally woven with a bit of narration and storytelling. “There were Sufi saints all over India and they were all connected. We try to bring out some of these stories,” she shares.</p>.<p>The group comprises artistes like Soubhagya Mohapatra, Ishan Rojindar, Yadu Krishnan, Sugandh Shekar, Akshay Chavan, and Rahul Prakash.</p>.<p><em>December 15, 6.30 pm, at Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, Kanakapura Road. Tickets available online.</em></p>
<p>In 2011, A R Rahman’s Chennai-based music school, K M Music Conservatory, formed the K M Sufi Ensemble.</p>.<p>“The Sufi songs that Rahman composed for films were well received by audiences. The school’s director, Fathima Rafiq, Rahman’s sister, thought it would be wise to tap into this popularity by creating a Sufi music group,” says Jyoti Nair Belliappa, the group’s co-ordinator. </p>.<p>The Ensemble will be in Bengaluru on Sunday to perform a concert titled ‘Kun Faya Kun’ .</p>.<p>In a world ravaged by war, hate crimes and intolerance, everyone is looking for peace. This is what makes Sufi music relevant in modern times, believes Jyoti. “One of the most distinct features of this genre is that it is repetitive and meditative. It’s almost like going into a trance. You forget the world around you for a few minutes,” she elaborates. </p>.<p>Jyoti is confident the genre is bound to grow in popularity. “There has always been interest in Sufi music. I cannot say if it is getting more attention now, but it is definitely appreciated by different groups of people. For instance, the Ensemble has performed across the world. When we performed in Germany, we received a standing ovation which lasted almost 10 minutes,” she recalls.</p>.<p><strong>Contemporary take</strong></p>.<p>Their Bengaluru show is organised by the Indian Music Experience museum, J P Nagar. The 13-member group will perform a mix of traditional and contemporary qawwalis. Apart from popular numbers like ‘Khwaja mere khwaja’, ‘Kun faya kun’, ‘Man kunto maula’ and ‘Dum mast qalandar’, they will also present less known songs and original compositions of noted musician Munna Shaokath Ali. </p>.<p>A song titled ‘Yeh dil mera tum pe sadke’ has been translated from a track in the Tamil film ‘Sangamam’, reveals Jyoti. ‘Al madad maula’, from the film ‘Mangal Pandey’ and ‘Zikr’ from ‘Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero’ are some other songs that will be performed. “The former was originally written by Ali and is a love song. For the group, Ali rewrote the lyrics to give it a more Sufi feel,” she shares. </p>.<p>The group is known for its contemporary take on qawwalis. The rendition of the songs, the harmonies, the melodies and the arrangement are tweaked to give the music some contemporary colour. “For instance, we use percussion pads, which is not traditionally used in the genre,” explains Jyoti, who trained under Ali. </p>.<p>The performances are generally woven with a bit of narration and storytelling. “There were Sufi saints all over India and they were all connected. We try to bring out some of these stories,” she shares.</p>.<p>The group comprises artistes like Soubhagya Mohapatra, Ishan Rojindar, Yadu Krishnan, Sugandh Shekar, Akshay Chavan, and Rahul Prakash.</p>.<p><em>December 15, 6.30 pm, at Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, Kanakapura Road. Tickets available online.</em></p>