New Delhi:
Pakistan's Sufi rock band'Raeth', which shot to fame with its music launch in India in2006 and has performed across the country since then thriveson the concept of bringing people together through music.
"Music is life. Music has the power to bind peopletogether. Our songs are appreciated equally both in Pakistanand India," says Sunny Gansham the band's guitarist.
The three-member band from Karachi was here recently for aperformance that mixed western rock and eastern Sufiyana.
"Our job is to thrive on the universal denominators whichare common to people belonging to all regions of the world.The things like laughter, joy, sadness, marriage, love andmirth are common to us all. Don't they?" says Wajhi Farouqui,another member of the trio.
At a chic urban village here, the musicians began theirperformance with hit song Bhulaa Do following it with onesong after another that "seemed to transform the listenersinto a time capsule in which some mystic masseur played Sufimusic," according to a member of the audience.
As the songs got groovier, the foot-tapping audience wasnot in a mood to allow the band even a 10 minute break.
"Once more, no break," yelled the crowd oblivious to thetheatrics of the band players who unsuccessfully tried theirbest to convince crowd of their fatigue.
"I was a kid when I heard Bon Jovi songs. The song "It'smy life" inspired me greatly. Then I heard of the tusslebetween Bon Jovi and the music companies. It was one of theinspirations behind forming the band," says Gansham who claimsto be of Indian lineage.
One of the members of the Pakistani band says, " We werejust College pass-outs when we sang Bhulaa Do. It was aninstant hit. When we arrived at Delhi Airport many girlsrecognised us and sought autographs," says a band member.
Hassan Farabi, the third member of the trio says he wastouched to see his picture painted among musical greats on awall in Mumbai, where the band had launched their first albumin 2006.
The video was well received on the Pakistani TV musicchannels and on FM radio. But few could imagine the band'sstellar rise over the next six months.
In September, 2006, 'Raeth' was launched across India andthey were touted as "the next big thing from Pakistan" afterfollowing in the footsteps of other bands like Junoon,Strings and Jal.
"India is a dream country for any musician. We neverexpected this stellar rise. In India peole respect music. Wewere launched on the global front by an Indian music company"says Gansham.
Next up on the agenda of the music group is a playbackassociation with upcoming Bollywood flick Marksheet, whichis based on campus life in Delhi.
"We are excited about the prospect of singing a couple ofsongs for the movie. It would be a great thing for the band.Nothing like it," says Wajhi.
"Music is life. Music has the power to bind peopletogether. Our songs are appreciated equally both in Pakistanand India," says Sunny Gansham the band's guitarist.
The three-member band from Karachi was here recently for aperformance that mixed western rock and eastern Sufiyana.
"Our job is to thrive on the universal denominators whichare common to people belonging to all regions of the world.The things like laughter, joy, sadness, marriage, love andmirth are common to us all. Don't they?" says Wajhi Farouqui,another member of the trio.
At a chic urban village here, the musicians began theirperformance with hit song Bhulaa Do following it with onesong after another that "seemed to transform the listenersinto a time capsule in which some mystic masseur played Sufimusic," according to a member of the audience.
As the songs got groovier, the foot-tapping audience wasnot in a mood to allow the band even a 10 minute break.
"Once more, no break," yelled the crowd oblivious to thetheatrics of the band players who unsuccessfully tried theirbest to convince crowd of their fatigue.
"I was a kid when I heard Bon Jovi songs. The song "It'smy life" inspired me greatly. Then I heard of the tusslebetween Bon Jovi and the music companies. It was one of theinspirations behind forming the band," says Gansham who claimsto be of Indian lineage.
One of the members of the Pakistani band says, " We werejust College pass-outs when we sang Bhulaa Do. It was aninstant hit. When we arrived at Delhi Airport many girlsrecognised us and sought autographs," says a band member.
Hassan Farabi, the third member of the trio says he wastouched to see his picture painted among musical greats on awall in Mumbai, where the band had launched their first albumin 2006.
The video was well received on the Pakistani TV musicchannels and on FM radio. But few could imagine the band'sstellar rise over the next six months.
In September, 2006, 'Raeth' was launched across India andthey were touted as "the next big thing from Pakistan" afterfollowing in the footsteps of other bands like Junoon,Strings and Jal.
"India is a dream country for any musician. We neverexpected this stellar rise. In India peole respect music. Wewere launched on the global front by an Indian music company"says Gansham.
Next up on the agenda of the music group is a playbackassociation with upcoming Bollywood flick Marksheet, whichis based on campus life in Delhi.
"We are excited about the prospect of singing a couple ofsongs for the movie. It would be a great thing for the band.Nothing like it," says Wajhi.
