Music can calm violent society: Ustaad Salamat Ali Khan
February 27, 2013
Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and his wife gave an exclusive interview to Jang/Geo correspondent.
Khan expressing his impression on Pakistani American said that he see similar kind of disarray and chaos in Pakistani Americans as seen in Pakistani society.
People lack trust on each other. He said the value system around honesty, sincerity and trust is being pushed down by the glitter of Dollars.
“That is why we need to look inside us and we need to see how the Sufis of past had served humanity through music and poetry.”
People used to listen to them and they were quite popular in those societies, he said.
Khan further said that these days the poetry and music is just entertainment and people don't act on its message. People forbid music.
He said the religious extremist want to impose their version on people. This is why the society is in so much of confusion on religious and cultural issues and the whole nation is trapped in this mess.
“Saying truth has become a difficult task in our society. Truth telling is responded by violence. So, you can see yourself what is coming in future.”
Khan said music leaves impact on human mind. One of the reasons for the spread of extremism in Pakistan is that people have spread confusion about music. He said that music is very much needs to help calm a violent society.
Music affects human mind and control it. He said loud noise and disorganized music causes fear in human mind, while a real music stirs the inner self and causes peace and tranquility to people.
He said society does not make progress until collective wisdom is triggered, adding that American society reached its zenith because of same collective wisdom.
He said that it is needed for us to control the evil within us. He said that he has countless songs that he has performed and he has lost the count.
14 albums of his songs are already released including recently released album "Piyar mein" and other albums includes "lok virsa" and "Ghalib" in which he has worked with Zia Mohyeddin. He said his commitment to music is a lifelong affair and he will serve music till his last breath.
