Two powerful spiritual movements deeply influenced Hindustani music: the Sufi tradition of Islamic mysticism and the Hindu Bhakti movement of devotional love.
Sufi influence
Sufi saints and poets used music and poetry as tools for spiritual ecstasy and union with the divine:
- Qawwali – ensemble singing with harmonium and percussion, filled with ecstatic repetition and call-and-response.
- Urdu and Persian poetry emphasizing longing, separation, and love (ishq), often with double meanings – romantic and spiritual.
These traditions influenced classical forms like Tarana and contributed to the use of Persian/Urdu in khayal lyrics.
Bhakti influence
The Bhakti movement emphasized personal devotion to God, often through:
- Simple, emotional poetry in regional languages.
- Singable melodies used in temples and gatherings.
- Stories of Krishna, Rama, and other deities.
Many classical bandishes and light classical forms like bhajan, Hori, Chaiti are directly rooted in Bhakti poetry.
Meeting point
Hindustani music became a meeting ground where:
- Hindu and Muslim musicians collaborated and learned from each other.
- Devotional and romantic themes blended in subtle ways.
- Poetry from both traditions found musical expression in raags.
For today’s listener, this means Hindustani music carries a rich heritage of spiritual longing, love, and philosophical reflection, regardless of one’s personal religion.