cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/54792878

Chhaap Tilak Sab Chheeni, is a Kafi written and composed by Amir Khusro, a 14th-century Sufi mystic, in the North Central Indian language of Braj Bhasha.

Due to the resonance of its melody and mystical lyrics, it is frequently heard in Qawwali concerts across Indian Subcontinent.

Chaapp Tilak Sab Chheeni is considered as Amir Khusru’s most known Kalam which is basically a penned version of his imagination of devotion and the joy of oneness with the eternal one.

This poetry is an epic example where an inherent middle eastern art form gets entangled with the Indic philology, custom and art a unique twist between the two artforms.

This kind of devotion is rarely seen in Islamic ghazals and qawwalis preceding it. This poetry is a great example of the role both cultures played to create this Ghazal and Qawwali which has a unique essence combining both Indic and Islamic culture which inherently created a new unique art form which contributed to the early beginnings of the Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb culture to be developed.

The theme of the composition, being the absolute power of a mere glance from the Divine, is a central theme in Sufi mystic literature.

Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan the singer here is THE man in music in the subcontinent.