A Sufi music ensemble from Kerala, Mehfil-e-Sama, recently performed at the Rajasthan Kabir Yatra, mak ing them the first band from South India to perform at the festival. Irfan Erooth, lead singer of the band, recalls one of the most memo rable moments from the festival, and says, “When the audience re quested a Malay alam Sufi song, namely, Pattaap pakal, we were genuinely sur prised. The festival celebrated Bhakti and Sufi traditions in music and poetry, and they also wanted us to share something from our culture, our style, and we were more than happy to do that.”
In the North, these musical forms are mostly hereditary, passed down through centuries of lineage. In the South, Sufi music is newer. People are just beginning to explore and appreciate it
Irfan Erooth
‘THE AUDIENCE SHOWED AN INCREDIBLE LOVE FOR MUSIC THAT GOES BEYOND LANGUAGE’Irfan believes performing in India’s larg est state offered a profound cultural ex change. “We were nervous about bringing Mehfil-e-Sama performing at the Rajasthan Kabir Yatra South Indian Sufi music to the North. But the response in villages like Kalasar and Chaturgat was ex traordinary. Audiences engaged with the music, singing along and danc ing—not out of formality, but out of genuine connection. The performance even ex tended into the early hours under the moonlight. Such experiences are rare in the South, and it has shown us the incredible openness and love for music be yond linguistic di vides,” he shares. ‘WE HOPE TO TAKE SOUTH INDIAN SUFI MUSIC TO GLOBAL AUDIENCES’The band believes that performing at this festival is a turning point for South Indian Sufi music. “This festi val has opened a huge horizon for us. Traditionally dominated by North In dian lineages, Sufi music is now wel coming South Indian voices. We hope to carry this music across India and eventually to audiences around the world,” says Irfan.
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