A SUFI SINGER EMBARKING ON HIS LITERARY QUEST

Author Interview: Bhavin Shastri

Bhavin Shastri is a celebrated Sufi Singer, a true patriot, a motivator, a philanthropist, and a constant voyager in the never ending quest of life, music, and discovery. An engineer by profession, he is a musician by choice. He has recently come out with the book “Lockdown-21: Me to Messiah”, which is an opening for those who have inclination to explore the truth, who have questions and are sneaking through the mystery of life. In a candid chat with Chirdeep Malhotra, he talks about his latest book, his writing journey, how Sufi singing has helped him in his pursuit of writing, and much more. Read on!



Please tell us more about Bhavin Shastri as a person.

There is nothing much to state about me as a person. I am just you, or everyone else who will be reading this and even those who would not. As I have by now known that the soul is a traveller and it is the same that is in every individual. Having said that, probably I have answered the question.
Yet, for the readers, I would say that describing oneself as a person today sounds like a real challenge. Although I cannot say much about myself, I see myself as a traveller. I am maybe on a journey to see the real self of mine. Kind of a believer who understands the fact that today, in this moment, whatever I am doing was pre-decided. I completely believe in the pattern of nature. I can be sometimes a loner and at times a part of the crowd. As a witness of life, I believe in the fact that every new day comes with a new message, however, the message is nowhere from outer sides, it is the inner self that needs to be heard to. Once that starts happening, we wake up every day as better than yesterday.



Has writing always been a part of your life? Or did you chance upon it later on and then instantly fell in love with it?

It is about your interest, your dedication, your determination. I always was an artist, and I still am one. Earlier I was a musician, now I have started penning down my thoughts. That’s the only difference. I have just tried a different version of art, keeping myself ready for surprises in life. Here I would like to talk about Late President APJ Abdul Kalam. He wanted to become a pilot and due to some reasons, he could not, but rest is the history, that one missed chance made him the ‘Missile man of the nation’. Ultimately it is about the laws of sharing, what you can share is only your wisdom and what you have earned through your dedication. As a singer, I am loved, I am said to spread happiness but that too is a result of efforts that have been put behind it. In fact, I would say, it is important for everyone to put that effort to see your potential. May be we have something worth sharing hidden in us which would appear at the right time.
Writing comes really later. Earlier it was listening, understanding the questions arising inside me which raised me to be an explorer, struggle to know the truth, fight with self, then from there to observer which carved some seeking, but that required silence. However, I had chaos, analysis of self, of every event and incident, which was another way of questioning. However, there were rare moments that gave answers for some of noise. In those rare moments that brought some solace, penning started in form of quotes, and I started writing my thoughts. Then those thoughts took my voice while on stage for my listeners. People felt connected, my thoughts could provoke further quest in others, yet the book still needed some time. What is written once, it becomes a reference and to serve masses and generations with a reference is a greater responsibility. Yet, maybe even that too was pre-decided and it happened with this Pandemic.



Please tell us more about your book “Lockdown 21: Me to Messiah”.

I would rather prefer people reading the book, instead of me telling them about it. When I started this, I was not sure whether I would be completing it as a book. What I was sure about was that where ever I stop, it would be a book that would belong to everyone. So this is a journey of each one of us and it has only the real situations and questions. It is as natural as everyone’s life was in those 21 days and continued to be further.
This book is a pedagogy for all the seekers. It emphasizes that Buddhahood is possible for all, who have seen the emerging questions within themselves. This is about the journey of beginning with self and reaching to self. The book talks about equilibrium of nature and man’s role in challenging the pattern. This book puts emphasis on isolation and opportunities that may arise in solitude for an individual.
Ultimately the book says that we all are in a journey and ultimate destination is reaching to self. The book has references of Buddha, Meera, Mahavira, Kabir, Prophet Mohammad and many more.
Along with this, the watcher in the book parallelly is able to witness and analyze the incidences and shortcomings that occurred during the Lockdown. And who is this watcher? We all are the same watcher. The book ultimately says that the journey still continues. Nothing changes, yet everything becomes easy and beautiful when we start accepting the law of nature.



How did the idea of writing this book originate? When did you start writing this book and how long did it take you to finish it?

On this, the credit goes to our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. I must say that if in those days, we would not have been put in a situation under lockdown, this book might not have happened. Suddenly everything was at a halt. Whatever priorities we all had, suddenly changed. I was in a habit of lots of travelling as was my profile’s requirement, but I was put into a limited proximity.
Although this was forced, however it was the most required action to be taken. The lockdown started from a day long Janta curfew and the purpose behind it was breaking the chain of spread of COVID.
The book started with a thought that it would be completed within the period of 1st lockdown which was of 21 days, and yes, it’s writing did finish within those days. Post production happened gradually. However, this book technically is not written in a day or a month or a year. It is about what I have heard, seen, read and realized till date.



What themes and topics have been incorporated by you in this book?

It is very important that I tell you that there is nothing new in this book. It has all that has been said and stated earlier in holy books and by different seekers and lovers. In this book, I have tried to present my perspective on them, my experiences with them and my understanding.
This book as I have mentioned talks about the fear of death, love for life, equilibrium of nature, law of sharing, gratitude towards every creation and love for every being.



You are an acclaimed Sufi singer. How did music and your spiritual endeavours help nurture the writer in you?

First of all, Thank you very much and with this I would take it as an opportunity to thank my listeners who have made me an acclaimed Sufi singer. As I have already mentioned, it is about art, you can be a musician, you may be a writer. Ultimately in whatever way you keep the expedition up, is your way.
Talking about music, yes it is a source that directly connects me to my inner self, or to put it in other way, my connection with myself that leads to an ultimate, makes the music happen. Yes, I have tried to compile what I had and serve. Hopefully it works as a push for few to travel through the darker tunnels and arrive to be the light unto themselves.



What message do you hope readers will take away from this book?

Well, I would suggest them to read the book, and let me know if the reader could hear a message. Only message I, as a writer of “Lockdown-21: Me to Messiah” hope to pass on is to pick up this book, and read it to decode the message that’s appropriate for you as an individual. As the book says, me to messiah, be your own light, find your own way, accept yourself and keep moving forward. Every breath itself is a message that we are nearing to the ultimate destination, hence let’s simply live.



What are you working on next? Are there any interesting new projects that our readers should look out for?

As of now, the only answer I can give is Let’s see.



Can you share with our readers a motivational quote that keeps you going?

Main-se-Moksh-se-main – This is a quote written quite a lot before this book; however this is the essence of all that is said, done and achieved.