Kabir (also Kabira)  (1440—1518) was a mystic poet and saint of India, whose writings have greatly influenced the Bhakti movement. The name Kabir comes from Arabic Al-Kabir which means ‘The Great’ – the 37th Name of God in the Qur’an.

Exciting news from Mumbai with the unfolding of the KABIR FESTIVAL, a 10 day extravaganza of Mystic Music, Poetry, Film and Arts running from January 14th to January 23rd.  The Kabir festival follows on from The Kabir Project (www.kabirproject.org) which wa founded by Shabnam Virmani, a documentary film maker who spent 6 years travelling with folk singers who sing the mystic songs of Kabir.  This festival is something of a showcase of  those travels and the films, music and booksthat were produced as a result.

The Kabir project is a 6-year initiative undertaken by filmmaker Shabnam Virmani as an artist-in-residency project at Srishti. It brings together the experiences of a series of journeys exploring how this 15th century mystic weaver poet lives in diverse social, political, religious and spiritual spaces in India (and Pakistan). The core inspiration of the project is music, and Kabir comes alive in documentary films, 2 folk music videos and 10 music CDs and poetry books through the power of song.

The films (Had-Anhad: Journeys with Ram & Kabir, Koi Sunta Hai: Journeys with Kumar & Kabir, Chalo Hamara Des:  Journeys with Kabir & Friends are interwoven in significant ways, but each can be viewed independently

The extraordinary line up of traditional talent will display the enormous variety of this spiritual, mystic lineage in all its gracious beauty.  All programs are free to attend on a first-come first-served basis.  It is a delight to know such events are taking place to introduce the Youth of India to their cultural and spiritual heritage in such a way and we wish the organisers well on their quest to uphold and maintain the connections to this tradition.  This is the first Kabir festival in Mumbai and we look forward to its establishment as an annual celebration of one of the Greatest Mystic Poets India has ever known.

Please visit the excellent websites for more info about this enchanting festival:-

Official Site

www.thekabirfest.com

Blog

www.kabirfestivalmumbai.wordpress.com

Kabir Project

www.kabirproject.org

Tell me, O Swan, your ancient tale.

Tell me, O Swan, your ancient tale.
From what land do you come, O Swan? to what shore will you fly?
Where would you take your rest, O Swan, and what do you seek?

Even this morning, O Swan, awake, arise, follow me!
There is a land where no doubt nor sorrow have rule: where the terror of Death is no more.
There the woods of spring are a-bloom, and the fragrant scent ‘He is I’ is borne on the wind:
There the bee of the heart is deeply immersed, and desires no other joy.

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Hazrat Inyat Khan (July 5, 1882 – February 5, 1927) was a Sufi Mystic from India who travelled to the West to share his message of Universal Love.  He was a great musician who played the Vina but eventually gave up playing music in order to become the Instrument of God.  His gentle spirit and truthful notions and philosophy have been a great influence on many Sangita Sounds musicians and producers.  His wise words and compassionate thoughts echo through eternity his spirit of peace and harmony echo through time.

In particular, for all music lovers and musicians, we reccomend his excellent Book :- The Mysticism of Sound and Music.

It has played an important part in the essential develpment of Sangita Sounds and our core spiritual philosophy.

The source of truth is within man; he himself is the object of his realization.

Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:

In point of fact truth is simple; it is man who makes it difficult for himself. For all other aspects of knowledge he has to get from outside, but truth is something which is within man himself. It is something which is nearest to us though we imagine it to be farthest; it is something which is within, though we imagine it to be outside; it is knowledge itself we want to acquire. Thus the seeker is engaged in a continual struggle: struggle with himself, struggle with others, and struggle with life. And at the end of the journey he always finds that he has traveled because it was his destiny to travel, and he discovers that his starting-point is the same as his final goal.

from  http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VIIIa/VIIIa_4_12.htm

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