Celebration through music

Sufi and Ghazal sensation, 24-year-old gold medalist Ghazal singer Pooja Gaitonde's programme was held at Chowmahalla Palace. The event was organised by Hyderabad Arts Festival (HAF) as part of the Heritage Week in association with Chowmahalla Palace.

Pooja Gaitonde was on the harmonium; Abhishek Mestry on Keyboard; Athar Hussain Khan on Tabla. Mohammed Bashir and Vishal Jagtap were accompanying singers with Pooja.

The group churned out mesmerising sufi and ghazal numbers like: ‘Ranjish hi sahi’; ‘Dil jalane ki baat’; ‘Aaj jane ki zid’; ‘Aaj socha to aansu’; ‘Duniya jise kehte hai’; ‘Chhap tilak’; ‘Dumadum mast kalandar’; ‘Maula mere lele meri jaan’; ‘Tere bin nahi lagda’; ‘Khwaja mere khwaja’; ‘Man kunto maula’; ‘Mera piya ghar aaya’ and ‘Bhardo jholi’.

Music has the power to touch souls and among the various forms of music, Sufi music is considered the thread that binds human soul to the almighty. Rajab Ali and his troupe from Rajasthan Sufi music performed Qawalis.

With a sound foothold in traditional Knowledge of Raagdari, Pooja’s Ghazal and Sufi compositions of Rajab Ali left an indelible impression because of the energy that emanated from consistent search for true and living expressions.