Musical tribute to Amir Khusrau and Kabir

Musical tribute to Amir Khusrau and Kabir

Mumbai kept its musical date with revered saint-poets Hazrat Amir Khusrau and Kabir with a special concert honouring the two on Saturday. Conceived by Banyan Tree, ‘Khusrau-Kabir’ celebrates the rich legacy of the two geniuses. “For the past few years, we’ve been opening the year with the works of Hazrat Amir Khusrau. This year, to add to the richness of the experience we’ve decided to feature the works of Saint Kabir along with Khusrau, and titled the concert Khusrau-Kabir,” said Mahesh Babu of Banyan Tree. “A great poet-linguist, warrior, prolific writer and a great musician, Khusrau had all the name, fame, wealth and success at his feet all his life,” explained Shaunak Abhisheki, son and disciple of the Maestro Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki, who kicked off the festival. “He not only created tomes of creative prose and poetry, but also contributed to the making of hallmark instruments of Indian classical music — the tabla and the sitar. Seven centuries later, his contribution to the world of Indian art is truly unmatched,” he added. Prahlad Tipanya, whose troupe brought in a folksy rendition of Kabir, said the saint is one of the most loved and revered mystics of India. “And why not? He was a fearless poet, reformer, critic, seeker and spiritual master. He spoke against hypocrisy in society regardless of its religious roots. His works are rich with spiritual wisdom, universal love, oneness of all creations and above all, the spiritual path and gratitude to the Satguru continue to inspire people from all walks of life.” Chand Nizami, who along with his troupe presented qawwalis, belongs to the famous ‘Sikandra Gharana.’ Singers from this lineage were darbari singers to both Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and Hazrat Amir Khusrau.