By Hasnain Arij,
Patna: When she grew up she started dreaming to become a doctor or engineer as her father wanted her to be. But no one knew a visit to Dargah when she was just a teenager would one day make her a Sufi singer.
Alka Kamlapuri, now a famous teacher of sufi song, wanted to go on the path of Nusrat Fateh Ali just after listening only a few songs as…Allah hoo Allah hoo and Damadam mast qalandar.
“We are purifying our soul our mind when we sink into a sufi song. It’s only the way to recharge our mind,” says 34-yr old Alka Kamlapuri. “In our day to day life we are hearing many songs but once we listen to a sufi song it feels breathing of our heart,” says she who has got many awards for her excellent performance like Bihar Sangeet Samaj, Patna, Jagriti Kala Manch, Patna and Jagriti Kala Manch, Patna, Sangam Kala Group, Delhi. But still her journey is going on.
Her father Mr. Moti Laal Kamlapuri residing in Danapur area of Patna says when she watches Ganga from the terrace of our house she used to sing sufi songs. In here early stage her father was fed up. He thought that once she becomes a singer what will be her future in our society and culture. But now she is a married woman and living happily with her husband, Mr. Narayan, an officer in a national bank. She has two children and all are reading classical music.
Poetry collections of Khayyaam, Mirza Ghalib, Daag Dehlvi all are available in Alka’s bookshelf. Now she is learning Urdu.
However, she complains she has not got good environment for her here in Bihar.
“We are not getting a perfect platform for our mission here in Bihar. Even after getting so many awards neither government nor private sector coming us to appreciate our work. We need funds, campus and a sound environment to enhance our feeling of sufi song,” says Alka shaking her hand with an Urdu magazine Baabe Khawaateen.
Today she goes to Dargaah just for blessings and to listen to ragaas. At 34, Alka collects flowers from her garden every morning, lights agarbatti and then she sings Allah hoo Allah hoo…and late night she sings Chap tilak sab chhor di tu se nainaa milaaike…