Abida Parveen of the surreal voice, the one that renders the poetry of Khusro, Bulle Shah, Waris Shah and Sultan Bahu into a divine communion, is to Sufi music what romance is to youth. In an exclusive interview with Vimalendu Kumar Singh, Abida Parveen reflects over the worldly majlis, music and Maula..
You have touched the pinnacle of your career. How difficult has this journey been?
I have achieved whatever I have thanks to Maula; I owe it to the blessings of my elders and saints. We only make an effort, to make an untrained voice sound sweet is the work of God. With rigorous practice, and if you have the right training and God's blessings with you, nothing is impossible.
How did you choose this profession, considering it was taboo for female Muslims to sing...
My initiation into music was done by my father Ghulam Haidar saab. He used to run a music school at Larkana in Sindh. He was equally adept at classical music and Sufiana kalam. Although I was not a part of his school technically, my training started when I was all of three years old. In fact, music was all around me in my house. When I was 12, my father sent me to Ustad Salamat Ali Khan in Lahore for further training in music. I learned all the nuances of music under him.
Tell us about Ustad ji. How was it learning from him?
Ustad (Salamat Ali Khan) ji polished me and showed me the path. I have not seen another singer like him when it comes to layakari and range. I consider myself fortunate that I trained under him.
Why did you opt for Sufi music and not pure classical?
Actually the place I belong to, Sindh, has a different aura – that of Sufiana. Such is the popularity of Sufism there that every man is somehow addicted to it. My father loved Sufi music, and that infected me too. You can see him in my music and my temperament.
What is it about Sufiana music that sets it apart from other genres?
The greatest virtue of Sufiana is Ruhaniyat. Its relation with spirituality is very deep. It is the thirst to attract the attention of God; to be close to Him. Songs are all good, but the music for Allah and saints has a different feel. It puts you on a different, higher level. None can remain untouched by it.
But there are other genres too that are dedicated to God...
I don't claim that the only way to Allah is Sufiana. There are the bhajan, kirtan and the Drupad styles as well. All of them have their distinct feel and all of them take you to God.
Sufi songs, as you said, connect one to God. What have your experiences been like?
The path takes you to God. Whenever I sing, I consider it the first and last Majlis (forum). So I take that opportunity to seek blessing from saints and God. And they deliver.
The world likes to hear you sing. Whom do you listen to?
I hear all old and new singers. And I try to learn from them. I hear Bade Ghulam Ali Khan with concentration. I also love Ustad Aamir Khan of Indore gharana. Among females, I love Kishori Amonkar and Begum Parveen Sultana. Amjad Ali Khan is one of my favourites. I have hundreds of CDs of these singers. I hear them in solitude and keep crying. It enriches the heart. Their voice is the voice of God. I am also inspired by Salim Gilani. I have never heard another exponent of ghazal like him.
Can anybody really learn Sufiana or does it come from within?
Ruhaniyat and yearning cannot be bought. And a heart that does not yearn is not a heart at all. The one who has not experienced yearning cannot understand what the heart expresses in words. That is the real inspiration; real addiction.
You are among the few singers whose popularity transcends the border. How does it feel when you sing in India?
Music cannot be bound by language or border. For me, Pakistan and India are like blood brothers. India is like my second home and that's why I keep visiting here. People give me immense love in both the countries.
A fan of yours in London once said that if Abida ji lends her voice to a shopping list, even that will sound spiritual. People in the West don't understand Urdu, Punjabi or Sindhi, and yet you have a tremendous fan following…
Sufism is the connection between two hearts. To understand the emotion and to connect with God, one requires no language. In the US, Britain and Scandinavia, people give me a lot of love. They wait for me for hours. They become part of the
performance.
Your trademark style of long kurtas and the Sindhi Ajrak is unique too. Is it an attempt at branding?
You call it branding, but it has become my identity for years. The Ajrak that you see on my shoulders comes straight from the Dargah of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif. It is not merely a show-off. I live this life.
Why have you stayed away from Hindi films even though Sufiana is a rage here too?
Artists from Nusrat Fateh Ali to Rahat Fateh Ali and now Amanat Ali have lent their voices...
I have submersed myself in Sufi music and my aim is to popularise it. I'll stick to serving Sufiana genre for the time being.
Shariyat considers music to be haraam. Did you ever face any protest?
Shariyat does not consider it haraam. Why would Shariyat do that? The voice that we hear came first. Shariyat came later. The 12 sur were not made by men. It came before Shariyat. Music is a gift of Allah. These 12 sur consist of all the voices of the world. It is omnipresent. Whatever the language, the sur remains the same. It is the message from God. When we recite the Quran, even that is music. Don’t we love the Azaan when we hear a good voice?
India and Pakistan are always at loggerheads. As a cultural ambassador, what do you feel about it?
Where is the tension? If it is there, I cannot see it. I would not have been sitting here talking to you. That’s all politics and artists have nothing to do with it. The only wall is a visa.
These days many misunderstand Islam to be synonymous with terrorism. What has gone wrong?
Terrorism is not new. Islam is not to be blamed. Islam is a gift from Allah that runs in harmony with the world and humanity. The problems are man-made. One needs to keep the thought process pure. We will have to increase the purview of education and culture. There is no better tool to tackle it with than love.
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