In a series of concerts at the ongoing Jaipur Literature festival, the artists put together by the London-based Coexist Foundation, came together in their bid to shun stereotypes and present a lesson to those who believe that faith cannot act as a cohesive force.
The artists have been assembled together in the backdrop of the violence in Mumbai and Gaza which had a direct impact on inter-faith relations, Simon Cohen, spokesperson of
the Coexist Foundation.
The originator of the idea, noted author and director of the Jaipur Literature festival, William Dalrymple, said it is a pro-active way of putting up against divisive forces.
“In the wake of the India-Pakistan tensions following the Mumbai attacks there was also a clamour to bar Pakistani artists. What we desire to say is that if you put the plug on Pakistani artists, the fanatics will actually win,” Dalrymple said.
“What the artists are doing here is to present an alternative vision, which is a pro-active and vocal one, because staying quiet does not help,” he added.
Among the star performers at the five-day concert series are Pakistani rocker Salman Ahmad from the music group Junoon, described by Q magazine as ‘one of the biggest bands in the world.’
Salman will share the stage with Indian tabla master Samir Chatterjee at the festival, which will also see Muslim musicians from the Barmer desert play alongside the Jewish Berber-Algerian DJ Cheb I Sabbah, even as Israeli singer Shye Ben-Tzur fuses Rajasthani rhythms and western sounds with Hindu and Muslim musicians.
Besides these, Indian director Muzaffar Ali, artists Kudsi Erguner and Coleman Barkes will celebrate the tolerant pluralistic Sufism of Rumi.
“The best way to live in the current world is to follow the paths of our Prophets and sufi saints,” said Muzaffar Ali.
“People from all around the world, from all religions have risen above the stereotypes because of their passion for music. It is a lesson for those who say faith cannot promote co-existence. This is also a positive paradigm of the power of faith and music,” Cohen said.
The Co-exist foundation, which was founded in 2006, works through research, education and funding towards promoting inter-faith relations between Christians, Muslims and Jews around the world.
“The aim is to promote an understanding between the Abrahamic faiths and also with the secular people,” Cohen said.
“This is a powerful symbol of how faith and music can be used as instruments of peace between Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Christians”.
The foundation, which provides logistic and financial support to experts researching in the field has a partnership with the Tony Blair faith foundation, Cambridge inter-faith programme and also with the Theythrop college of theology in London.
Besides, the Gallop organisation which is undertaking a research in the Muslim world and the west to perceive how the two worlds perceive each other, is also supported by the foundation in its 10-year long initiative, Cohen said.
“The research, which is trying to ascertain what the two sides actually feel about each other, has in some places revealed that it is policy not theology that drives anti-west feelings in the Muslim world, particularly with what the western nations have done in Iraq and Afghanistan,” he added.