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Kolkata, December 6, 2011 (Washington Bangla Radio/ Penning Creations) Taking the famous and mystic Sufi music across India, the music fest, ‘Ruhaniyat’ laid out its buffet for the soul at Kolkata’s Tollygunge Club on Saturday, December 3.

Started in 2001 by the directors of Banyan Tree Events, Mahesh Babu and Nandini Mahesh, the ‘Ruhaniyat’ festival is completing a decade of showcasing some of the finest folk musical talents from different parts of India and even the world. Taken from an Urdu word meaning ‘soulfulness’, the ‘Ruhaniyat’ at Kolkata featured four Indian artists and one each from Africa and Turkey.

The ambience at the Tollygunge Club was set up with flamed torches in a dimly lit open space where the stage was set for the evening’s performance, to add to the air of mystique complementing the genre of the music on display. The evening however, was kicked off by a technological glitch marring the opening performance of a Shah Latif composition (Munji Jinj Ladi).

One of the microphones stopped working for the artists yet the mysticism in the December chill was not quite affected, as the spellbinding lyrical poetry, engrossed many members of the audience. Those soaking in all the culture, might have found themselves a notch closer to fulfilling one of the main purposes of Sufi music – finding a divine connection between man and his creator.

The rest of the audience members had perhaps turned up for a party instead of a serene and somber cultural musical event. Indeed, this was the Tollygunge Club after all– one of the more popular party venues in the city. But the more interested among the audience might have found themselves wishing for a slightly less swanky location.

Nevertheless, the music and art on offer on the night, was nothing short of what the event organizers had promised to the connoisseurs of folk music. Performances on the night included Punjab’s Nanak Shah & Manak Ali, as well as Rajasthan’s Rizmat Barkat and his group, performing the Kalam genre of Sufi music. Delhi’s Nizami Brothers on the other hand, performed the Sufi Qawwali with their group.

Siddhi Goma (Black Sufis of Gujarat) performed the traditional African-Indian music, Baithi Dhamal & Mystic Drums. The group, based on the centuries old tradition borne out of a small African Sufi settlement in Gujarat, brought on the stage the exuberance and power symbolizing the culture they represent.

Turkish group, the Whirling Dervishes (aka the Mevlevi Order) performed the Sama, which originates from a Sufi Master spinning with joy (whirling) on hearing a song offered to God.

The evening was not complete though, without Bengal’s very own Parvathy Baul performing Baul Songs – the wandering mystic music cult of Bengal.  She sang a few compostions by Rasika Das and Jadabendu namely ‘Ratna Bostu Kothay’ and ‘Kichhudin Mone Mone.’

Songs sung on the night, included compositions by Waris Shah, Mia Sardar, Bulle Shah and Ghulam Ali – all noted Sufi poets and renowned singers. Bulle Shah’s composition ‘Ki Rijhaya’ was particularly moving as a song lyrically comprised of the question of making someone happy.

As the audience sat, struck by the enchanting music and soulful brilliance at the Tollygunge Club, the slightly chilly evening came to a meaningful end.