Fakir fusion

Sufi singers from Tamil Nadu find fame and a wider audience.

The Fakirs from Nagore Dargah in Tamil Nadu, who recently performed at several venues in Delhi, had a quiet, meditative presence on stage, which was enchanting. At Bhakti Utsav, the music festival held every year at Nehru Park in Delhi, the Fakirs were just one of the many groups of artistes invited to perform. Other forms included gurbani, Vedic chanting, Rabindra Sangeet and the music of the Bauls. The Fakirs held their own, singing in a popular music style to the accompaniment of rabahna or frame drums. Their lyrics conveyed praise of the Sufi saint Meeran Sahib, through the medium of stories.

At their native place in Tamil Nadu, the Fakirs are known for singing devotional songs in Tamil and Arabic dialects at religious and social occasions. A well-travelled group, having performed in Australia, Israel and many other countries, they have dabbled in fusion music, whether that involves singing to the rhythm of the tabla and other percussion instruments, blending their voices with that of Carnatic singers, or chanting to the beat of the drums or the strains of the guitar.

The singers in the group — Abdul Ghani, Ajah Maideen and Saburmaideen Babha Sabeer — say that they especially enjoy jamming with instruments like the tabla and veena. Ajah Maideen says, “The exciting part is when we fuse our Sufi chants with distinct sounds. The rhythm of our music gets enhanced with such a combination. Each song symbolises love for the almighty and fosters camaraderie between people of different cultures, religions and beliefs.”

Interestingly, it was their performance as part of a musical collective for Laya Project — a production that brought together folk traditions from the 2004 tsunami-affected regions in South-east Asia — that marked a new beginning for the group. EarthSync, the Chennai-based label that produced Laya Project, subsequently brought out an album exclusively featuring the Fakirs, called Nagore Sessions.

While the singers are pleased that their music is being documented, and that they are able to perform on different platforms, it is evident that not many will be able to step into their shoes. “Our children have not taken up music professionally. They sing occasionally, in parallel with their occupations,” says one of the singers, Abdul Ghani, sadly.