Sufi Music has deep Punjabi and Rajasthani roots, led by legendary exponents such as Rumsufi, Baba Farid, Bullehshah and Khusro.
Today, some of the world’s most captivating Sufi music festivals are held in Jodhpur and Nagpur, and an iconic nomadic singer from Bikaner is emerging as one of the greatest attractions.
He is Mukhtiyar Ali, and we plan to showcase him on May 11, at 7.30 pm at the Guru Nanak Auditorium.
Mukhtiyar Ali belongs to the semi-nomadic community of Mirasis, known for their Sufi renditions. In recent years, Mukhtiyar Ali has gained considerable popularity, singing compositions by Kabir, Mira and Sufi poets such as Bulleh Shah.
Mukhtiyar was covered by the Kabir Project as part of the movie ‘Had Anhad’ after which he gained immense popularity. He made his international debut in July 2007, and has since sung for a number of movies.
Mukhtiyar won the 2015 GIMA Award for Best Music Debut for the song ‘Fanny Re’ in the movie ‘Finding Fanny’. He has a number of albums and songs to his credit such as Jeena Jeena, Laal Rang, Tere Ishq Nachaya, Ramta Jogi, Udiya Re, Mahi Ve, Nit Khair Manga, Moko Kahan, Dhoonde Re Bande, etc.
Mukhtiyar Ali’s music is rooted in the Sufi tradition, and he draws his music from a wide range of inspirations from across Rajasthan and Punjab in India, as well as Pakistan.
Besides Sufiana Qalam, he also sings Kafi, Qawwali, Ghazals, Bhajans and Kabir Vani. At the same time, he fearlessly collaborates with versatile contemporary musicians, film directors and singers across the globe, and has managed to cross boundaries of genres and cultures with ease.
