Man Atkeya Beparwah De Naal | Kalaam | Shah Hussain | Zeeshan Ali

#ManAtkeyaBeparwahDeNal #SufiPerformance #GuruNanak #DarbarFestival #sikhhistory #waheguru #sikhteachings #shahhussain

Enjoy Zeeshan Ali presenting this moving poem accompanied by Momin Khan, Giridhar Udupa, Gurdain Rayatt, Patri Satish Kumar, and Surdarshan Chana. Ali’s deep and soulful voice impeccably encapsulates the narrative of the kalaam: a speaker who has had his heart and soul captured by the Divine power and is now entangled with love for his Creator.
In this performance, the meditative and emotional element of the music symbolises the narrator’s surrender to the carefree Beloved, with Zeeshan Ali’s vocals bringing clarity and power to the kalam.

About Baba Shah Hussain
This poem was written by Shah Hussain (1538-1599) and is one of his most highly regarded Punjabi Sufi kalams. Hussain was a pioneer of Kafi poetry - short, lyrical poems that are often sung, accompanied by instruments - and he utilised his defiant experiences in life, going against traditional and cultural norms of the time and embracing self-expression through singing, dancing, and drinking, to write poems with themes of self-realisation and devotion. This moving poem resonates with the core spiritual message of Guru Nanak; the emphasis on ‘entanglement with the Creator’ reiterates Guru Nanak’s message of the oneness of God, annihilating the ego and keeping truth and honesty in one’s heart.



*About the Project *

Performance Date: 6 April 2025  
Venue: Barbican Centre, London  
This project explored how Guru Nanak’s timeless message of equality, compassion and spiritual awakening continues to resonate. Music was central to his mission—he travelled with Bhai Mardana, a Muslim rababi, using song to share spiritual wisdom beyond caste and creed. Darbar honoured this tradition by bringing musicians of diverse faiths onto one stage, spreading unity and peace.  

 

Credits: - 

Musicians

Aruna Sairam (carnatic vocals) 
Zeeshan Ali (sufi vocals) 
Bhai Anantvir Singh (kirtania) 
Amrita Kaur (kirtania) 
Momin Khan (sarangi) 
Patri Satish Kumar (mridangam) 
Giridhar Udupa (ghatam) 
Surdarshan Chana  (tabla & jori) 
Gurdain Rayatt (tabla) 
Beibei Wang (da ga drum) 

 

Darbar Team

Sandeep Virdee OBE (Artistic Director) 
Simrat Lall (Darbar Festival Manager) 
María Guardiola (Festivals and Events Manager) 
Depesh Patel (Events Manager) 
Jamie Craven (Head of Design) 
Rahul Ravindran (Creative Video Editor) 
Sana Ejaz (Marketing Executive) 
Zahabiya Patharia (Marketing Executive) 
Christoph Bracher (Head of Sound) 

 

Filming Crew

Pritpal Sagoo (Digital Consultant) 
Gurwinder Soor (Content Creator and Platform Manager) 
Tom Grancia (Technical Production) 
Carl Owen (Camera Operator) 
Chris Connel (Camera Operator) 
Anup Parmar (Camera Operator) 
Nick Morchang (Camera Operator) 

 

Technical Team

Phil Jones (Front of House Sound) 
John Duckett (Sound Monitors) 
Mark Gardner (Lighting Designer) 


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Darbar believes in the power of Indian classical arts to stir and inspire. Since 2006, we have delivered live events, education, broadcasts and digital experiences, while supporting new talent from India and the UK. 

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