The voice of spirituality

Songstress Kavita Seth is of the opinion that, with so much substance in sufi poetry and music, its future is certainly bright

ANJALI SINGH

AFTER she was awarded as the Best Fresh Voice of 2005 by a private channel, it did not come as a surprise to her fans when Kavita Seth topped the honour by being named the most sensational singer the following year as well. A sufi singer par excellence, Kavita Seth is all set to take music to new heights.
In town recently Kavita took out time to chat with Lucknow Times about making sufi music popular in Bollywood, and why she feels there is a need for such music these days.
“Though I am trained in Hindustani and classical music, I used to sing ghazals and Punjabi folk songs for a while. Gradually through the feedback that I got, I realised that even though it was unconscious, I preferred to sing sufi kalams. So I began to research and study the famous Iranian sufi poet Maulana Rumi. The more I read about him the more sure I was destined to be a sufi singer,” says Kavita.
So how has her education in sufi poetry and subsequent training in sufi singing changed her as a person? “It automatically brings in the transformation from within. Prior to singing sufi songs I used think that I had achieved a lot in life. But once my journey through sufism began, I realised I had not even achieved even a fraction of what is called success in the true sense. Insaniyat se judna aur usse mohabbat karna – these words define accomplishment in its actual sense. These teachings, which Rumi’s verses also talk of, go a long way in life,” she concurs.

Blessed with a soulful but powerful voice, Kavita’s renditions have stood out in Bollywood as well, even amidst the many established voices within the industry. Her debut solo sufi number Maula in Satish Kaushik’s flick Vaada, which was what earned her the award of the Best Fresh Voice in 2005.

Appreciation followed for Mujhe mat roko, a sanguine sufi number in Mahesh Bhatt’s film Gangster as well, making her stand out in the film industry. “Sufi music has a great potential where film music is concerned. The masses identify with it like no other music. That’s why I feel a lot many music directors prefer to have two or more sufi numbers in their films now. I am currently working on sufi compositions for N Chandra’s latest, It’s Breaking News, and I am amazed at the lyrics being penned by poets like Wasim. They touch one’s soul. With so much substance in sufi poetry and music, the future is certainly bright for the medium.”

And what does her family have to say about Kavita being known as a sufi singer? “My biggest support comes from my husband Krishna. His encouragement has given me the strength to come so far and achieve so much in life. He is also my biggest fan and critic, as he advises me on most of my work, which helps me work on my mistakes. Usne kya laaj rakhi meri gumraahi ki, main bhatkun to bhatak kar bhi usee tak pahuchun,” she quotes, describing the depths she has delved into, where sufism is concerned.

But powerful rendition, unforgettable stage presence, and flawless pronunciation were not achieved overnight, as Kavita informs us. “When I began reading Rumi’s work, I had the option to sing the rubaiyees (couplets) in Hindi or Urdu. But I felt it would not be as soul-stirring as it sounded in Persian, the language it was originally written in. So I decided to learn Persian and got myself a tutor, Maulana Islami, in Mumbai who taught me the correct talaffuz (pronunciation). This training helped me give my songs that ethereal touch, which finds an instant connect with the audience.”

Going by the appreciation that her recently released album on sufi songs, released by Times Music, Kavita is on her way to finding that divine success she is destined for.

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