NEW DELHI: A series of films tracing the history of Kashmiri Sufiana Music and paying a tribute to the best masters of Sufi Music in the Kashmir valley, �Films on Kashmiri Sufiana Music', was released at the festival of Kashmir arts and crafts in the capital by J and K Governor N N Vohra.

The three-part series, which has been produced and directed by renowned filmmaker Mushtaq Bala, attempts through in-depth research to show the richness of the Kashmiri Sufiana music which still reverberates in the valley.

Those present on the occasion included Delhi Chief Minister Mrs Sheila Dikshit, veteran arts promoter Ms Kapila Vatsayayan who is a Trustee in the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), and renowned santoor exponent Pandit Bhajan Sopori. Others present included �melody queen of Kashmir' Ms Shamima Azad, Ms Padma Sachdev, and Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Zafar Manhas, and IGNCA Member Secretary K K Chakravarty. The IGNCA collaborated with the Academy to put up the festival of Kashmir arts, crafts and films.

The series comprises three films of one hour each. While the first deals with lyrics, the second is about the dying format of Sufiana music, and the third is about the instruments used by renowned musicians. The series has been researched and scripted by Gulzar Gani

Kashmiri Sufiana Music (classical) is usually known as Sufiana Kalaam. Sufiana is a word derived from Sufi which means mystic, and Kalaam means poetry. This music is acoustically based on divisions of different maquaams, the way Indian classical music has ragas. The maquaams are sung at appropriate hours during the day.

The film traces the theme historically, profiles many exponents, and explores diverse renderings of Sufiana music and highlights musical instruments used in this genre. Though no definite information is available as to the period of its origin, some historians hold that Sufiana music was introduced in Kashmir in the 15th century. During the reign of Sultan Zain-Ul-Abideen, the most popular king Kashmir has known, Sufiana music received a major boost. According to him, Music is a powerful art which can bring greenery and freshness to dry plants. It drives saints out of forests and goads them to reveal their innermost feelings. Music can bring pleasure to one and all. I wish music be a part of my life always....

For purposes of research, Bala interviewed a large number of people, including renowned musicians like Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pandit Bhajan Sopori, and the living legend of Kashmiri Sufiana music G M Saaz Nawaaz. He also spoke to historians like Professor Fida Mohammad Hasnain, Professor Margub Baanhali, Dr Farooq Faiyaz who is Head of Department in History at Kashmir University, and Gyanpeeth award-winner Professor Rehman Rahi, apart from experts on music Farooq Nazki and Farhad Gilani.

Bala had earlier produced the short feature film 'Budshah' for Doordarshan in the classic series about the famous 15th century emperor of Kashmir who ruled Kashmir for five decades from 1420 AD and gave to himself the name of Sultan Zain-ul-Abideen (though his real name was Shah Rukh Khan). The film went on to receive the first �Ozone Green Award' and was screened at the Mumbai International Film Festival and the 14th Kolkata International Film Festival. His earlier programmes include the telefilm �Tanha Tanha', �Lakeerein', �Talnehat' and a series on the stories of Hans Anderson.