Puranchand Wadali to open Sufi music academy in city

Neha Saini

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 12

Padma Shri awardee Sufi artist Puranchand Wadali gave a scintillating performance on the concluding day of the Sufi festival at Gobindgarh Fort here on Tuesday.

Wadali, who had been sharing stage with his younger brother Pyare Lal Wadali till his demise last year, partnered with his son and prodigy Lakhwinder Wadali. Senior Wadali said Sufi and folk music was like blood running into their veins. “It is not music, but ibadat for us. It touches the soul of the performer and listener. It is pure and clean.”

Since his brother’s demise, Puranchand Wadali has cut down on his live performances, but he plans to pass on his folk traditions to the next generation of singers.

“I will soon open an academy that will teach Sufi and folk music. It will be one-of-its-kind and all paper work has been completed,” he said. The academy will be opened in Amritsar and he will impart training as a mentor.

His son Lakhwinder Wadali too maintained that Sufi music would always live on as it increasingly found new ways to reach it audience.

“There will always be listeners for soulful music despite a parallel industry, which works with commercial interests. But till we have a generation of performers and artists, who ensure that Sufi music reaches its audience, it will live on,” he added.

The Nooran sisters opened the concluding day’s proceedings with their powerful performance. “People might like particular music that has been trending a lot, but the fad soon fades away. Folk and Sufi music is for the soul rather than for ears alone,” said Jyoti Nooran.