Ehsan Fazili/Srinagar

For the last 15 years, Umar Farooq Bhat has been trying to revive the dying Sufiyana music of Kashmir. Even as he continues to study this genre of music from his Ustad, making a living while being passionate about art is not easy.

Now in his twenties, Umar Farooq Bhat, who hails from the village Gopalpora of central Kashmir’s Budgam, had been inclined to Sufiyana music since his childhood. He believes "Sufiyana is the spiritual music of Kashmir." 

Central Kashmir has been the citadel of Kashmiri folk - drama popularly known as "Bande Paether" and folk music.

Umar Farooq Bhat perfoming solo

After clearing his matriculation examination in 2011 he started learning Sufiyana Music. Five years later he performed for Radio Kashmir, Srinagar, since renamed All India Radio, Srinagar.

He has been learning music from Sheikh Mohammad Yaqoob since 2008. Besides, he also got himself enrolled in the Qaleenbaf Memorial Sufiyana Music Institute at Kralpora, Budgam.

Besides singing Sufiyana, Umar Farooq also plays instruments like Santoor, and Sitar that accompany his genre of music. He has held several shows in the AIR, Doordarshan, and concerts for the State government and the J&K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages.

Umar Farooq Bhat performing with his Ustad on the stage

"I have no means of livelihood as my focus is on the Sufiyana music," he told Awaz-the voice. 

He said that there were "only a few gharanas associated with Sufiyana music in Kashmir today." Umar is passionate about making his contribution to revive this art even if it means putting his earnings on the back burner for the time being.

“The government’s intervention is needed to save the Sufiyana Music,” he says.

“As of now, my focus is only on light and folk music because these are dying art forms and not the traditional Santoor, and Sitar.”

"Our classical music is dead", he laments. 

Performing with his team at Srinagar's iconic Tagore Hall

Umar Farooq has not lost hope, as he recalls that some of the young women were interested in Sufiyana and were taking learning how to play Sitar, Santoor, and Tabla.

Umar received a notation from Ustad Mohammad Yaqoob Sheikh on a song, which he finds was a great step forward in developing and reviving this musical art of Kashmir as he describes it as "our classical music.""I wish to work to preserve it as the art. It needs proper attention from the Government," he told Awaz-the Voice.

Umar feels that only the government’s patronage can bring Sufiyana music from the brink of extinction and keep it alive for the next generation.

Umar Farooq Bhat with Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, S F Hameed

On Monday, Umar’s efforts to seek the Government's attention for his art paid off.

He met the Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, S F Hameed, who assured him of all possible help and support in getting the attention and involvement of concerned institutions like the J&K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages. 

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In 2015, Umar Farooq had been supported by the then Director, of School Education, in Kashmir, Dr. Shah Faesal who created avenues for him to perform in the schools and at State functions.