Much-loved singer Arnob, a participant at the upcoming Sufi festival which will take place from January 27 to 29, spoke to the Dhaka Tribune about the concert.
He said: “Last year, I performed at a Sufi music festival in India called Sufi Sutra. I performed along with international musicians which was exhilarating. I am glad that a Sufi festival is taking place in Bangladesh as well.”
When asked how he ended up performing at the festival, Arnob said: “My background is in Rabindra Sangeet. Almost a fourth of Rabindranath’s songs are Brahma Sangeet. And the songs of Lalon Shah are deeply concerned with spirituality. In Tagore’s Brahma Sangeet, it is believed, as in Islam, that there is only one God. I am practising those songs which connect with the theme of the festival.”
“I am influenced by the music of the Bauls. Baul is not a religion, it is similar to Sufism in being a lifestyle. We believe in peace, sanctity and serenity. It is a pity we do not practice this in our modern city life – because we are all running after materialistic things. The festival features those elements that we need in our daily life. This is an era of extremism. We are all suffering and living in fear. The force of spirituality is now needed in our life,” he said.
“In the festival, I will perform the songs of Lalon Shah and of Tagore. I will attempt to represent my country and its cultural values,” he added.
The International Sufi Festival is being held in Bangladesh for the first time ever. The performing artists include Rahat Fateh Ali Khan from Pakistan, Javed Ali, Munnawar Masoom and Arko Mukherjee from India, Sidi Goma from Gujarat, Zik’R from Spain, Brazilian young musicians’ troupe Projeto Sarava, Serenas from Denmark, Egyptian troupe Mawlawiyahh.