[Reader-list] Understanding Bulleh Shah and Amir Khusrau: a workshop in Delhi

[ektara]

Understanding Bulleh Shah and Amir Khusrau
An Intensive Workshop on Sufi Music and Qawwali
6-14 February 2010
Ektara India, New Delhi

After two successful workshops in 2009 on the appreciation of Sufi 
music and Qawwali, Ektara India invites applications for an advanced 
workshop on understanding the poetry and music of medieval 
poet-composers Amir Khusrau Dehlavi (1253-1325) and Bulleh Shah 
(1680-1757), to be held in New Delhi from 6th to 14th February 2010.

Ektara India, a Delhi-based collective of media and art professionals, 
has been involved in a wide range of activities of culture, arts, 
research and peacemaking, having produced documentary films, music 
albums, and multimedia, besides managing cultural events, academic 
symposia, and exhibitions. In October and December 2009, Ektara 
organized two introductory workshops on the appreciation of Sufi music 
and Qawwali in Delhi, which were attended and well-appreciated by 
people from cross section of professions and backgrounds. These 
workshops were conducted by a eminent scholars and musicians such as 
Prof. Madan Gopal Singh (Delhi), Atmaram Bhakal (Chandigarh), Hayat 
Khan Nizami Qawwal, Wasifuddin Dagar, Dhruv Sangari and many others. 
Numerous documentary films and archival audio/video recordings were 
screened during the workshop, besides heritage walks to Sufi shrines of 
Delhi. (See the attached programmes of the 2 workshops). All 
participants were also given certificates of participation besides CDs 
with music and other multimedia related to the subject.

Our next workshop (in Feb. 2010) hopes to take the participants to a 
more advanced level of understanding the poetry, music and historical 
context of legends like Amir Khusrau and Bulleh Shah. The verse of 
these two poets is probably the most performed Sufi poetry in north 
India and Pakistan. Although there is gap of almost 4 centuries between 
the lives of two poet-composers, these 400 years were also probably the 
most productive in the cultural history of south Asia. This workshop 
hopes to explore the development of Sufi poetry and music over these 4 
centuries and beyond and what relevance they hold for us today. It will 
not only equip the participants to appreciate the poetry and music 
better, but also acquaint themselves to the historical and political 
context of the Sufi movements in South Asia.

The workshop will take place for 4 full-day sessions on weekends (6th, 
7th, 13th and 14th February, 2010, from 10 am to 6 pm), with an 
additional evening of heritage walk at the shrine of Nizamuddin on a 
Thursday (11th Feb). The venue for main sessions is St. Mary's School 
at B - 2 Block, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi. It will include 
illustrated lectures by eminent scholars of history, literature and 
music, besides many sessions of audio and video screenings. There would 
also be a heritage walk and on-location performances of music. Lunch, 
tea and snacks will be served during the workshop. Handouts including 
reading material as well as multimedia on CDs would also be provided 
during the workshop.

The registration for the workshop is open for anyone with an interest 
in Sufi literature, music and cultural history. Although it is not a 
requirement, but those who attended any of Ektara’s previous basic 
workshops (Oct/Dec 09) might appreciate this advanced workshop better. 
The registration fee is Rs.4000 (inclusive of lunch, tea and handouts). 
There is an early bird discount of 25% if you register before 15th 
January, 2010. Couples or two or more friends together can still get 
this discount after the deadline. Students (who are not working as 
professionals) get a 50% discount if they register before 15th Jan. To 
register, kindly download the application form and send it to us along 
with your registration fee.

http://www.ektaramusic.com/smw-appform-feb10.pdf

Ektara team (http://www.ektara.org)
+91-9810261773, ektaraindia at email.com