Mystical Music: Safeguarding Sufiana Mausiqi - a Vanishing Art Form of Kashmir

Abstract

Music has always been a significant part of the lives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in India. Since ancient times, Kashmir has been influenced by major cultures such as that of India, the near East, central Asia, and the West; the blending of different cultures (indigenous and foreign) has given Kashmiri music a rich and distinctive form. Sufiana Mausiqi is the classical Sufi ensemble music of the Kashmir region of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. This musical form developed through the Indo/ Central Asian cultural exchange that took place after the arrival of Islam and Sufism in the region during the 14th century. The processes of globalisation and socioeconomic change, as well as the current volatile situation of the troubled region, have diminished and marginalised this glorious tradition and it is currently on the brink of extinction. The deplorable condition of this endangered art form is evident from the fact that there are at present only a few surviving artists struggling hard to keep the tradition alive. This paper highlights the current situation of Sufiana Mausiqi and suggests the necessary safeguarding measures that are needed to preserve and propagate it.