A Village Built On Sur And Taal

The people of Bhaini Sahib in Ludhiana continue to preserve the classical music tradition of the region

- Chitra Swaminathan

The film begins with a dramatic top angle shot of girls in pristine white salwar kameez, dupatta over their heads, walking to the music class on a picturesque terrace of a quaint building. This is followed by a brilliant slow motion shot of a girl walking down a slope with the sitar in hand. She sits on the steps of a pond and plays the soulful Ik Onkar (one Supreme reality), the opening words of the Guru Granth Sahib (holy book of Sikhism). The water seems to gently sway to the melody of her strings. “When I play the sitar or sing, I experience a silence within me. And when I close my eyes, the classical notes transport me to another world,” says 17-year-old Ratna Malviya of Bhaini Sahib in Ludhiana.

The film, titled Shabad Aag Ki Khushboo, takes you on a tour of Bhaini Sahib, with every frame as lyrical as the Gurbani (hymns). Created by renowned filmmaker Bharatbala, it is part of his massive ‘Virtual Bharat - the 1000-film journey,’ project that captures on camera the finer nuances of our rich culture and heritage.

What sets apart Bhaini Sahib, surrounded by mustard fields and home to Namdhari Sikhs, is that classical music is a way of life here. Kirtans and raags rent the air. Children in this town, along with going to school and enjoying games and gadgets, never miss attending the music class.

“I have been collecting a lot of unusual and intriguing stories from around the country, and this is one of them. Both personally and as a filmmaker, it was fascinating to see these youngsters passionately learning classical music that is intrinsically linked to devotion. Though I looked at the experience from a cinematic angle, the attempt was to make this film timeless. Shabad Aag Ki Khushboo is not just for Punjabis, it is more for the nonPunjabis. I want the world to know how the people of Bhaini connect through the language of music,” says Bharatbala.