Sufi Souls

An interview with Roohani sisters.

- Tanya Malik

When it comes to Sufi music, people usually recall of artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Sabri Brothers and many other male Sufi singers. Sufi is one such sphere of music, which people believe to be is a male dominated one. However, there are Sufi singers like Roohani Sisters, who being women, have made a mark in the Sufi world. Sufi music holds an altogether different place in the hearts of music lovers. Through the years, it has transformed but still there is an unusual essence to it.

There are some Sufi singers who have worked immesely hard to keep the beauty of Sufism intact and two of them, Dr. Jagriti Luthra Prasanna and Dr. Neeta Pandey Negi, are popular names in the Sufi world. The Jugalbandi performs Sufiyana Qalams, Qawwali, Kaafi and Ghazals in traditional style along with their own improvisations and variations, merging it with the Jugalbandi style of Indian Classical Music. The two women have created a place for themselves through the years and it is commendable how beautifully they have succeeded. Woman's era had a chat with Roohani Sisters recently, here are excerpts:

Sufism holds a special place amid all different music genres. How did you step into this sphere?