DWBaig I Oudify I Pamiri Dhamal | Inspired by Amir Khusrau | Live at Jubilee Arts Festival 2018 I

Back in 2016, I composed two instrumental pieces—Oudify and Pamiri Dhamal. They were deeply personal creations, inspired by soundscapes close to my roots, but for years, they remained unreleased. Oudify is inspired by the Oud—an instrument I’ve long been in love with—and by a renowned Persian couplet by the 13th-century Indo-Persian Sufi poet and mystic Amir Khusrau. It explores themes of Fanaa (annihilation of the self) and intense spiritual love, often symbolizing the union between the seeker (lover) and the Divine (beloved): Man tu shudam, tu man shudi, Man tan shudam, tu jaan shudi. Ta kas na-goyad ba'd azin, Man digaram, tu digari. I structured the piece in a Sufi style, reflecting the essence of this poetry. In 2018, during the Jubilee Arts Festival at the Pak-China Centre in Islamabad, I had the opportunity to perform both pieces together. It became one of the most memorable moments of my musical journey—not just for the performance, but because one of the judges was the legendary Tina Sani. After the performance, she appreciated the compositions and asked me, “When are you releasing these? I would love to have them.” That remains one of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received. Just to clarify: This performance was not fully live in a traditional sense. As there were no session players available at the time, I am improvising with Pamiri Sitar on stage alongside the recorded playback. Life moved on, and somehow, these pieces were never officially released. But recently, I came across a video of that performance—beautifully captured by my nephew, Habib Madiki. Hopefully, I’ll be releasing the official audio versions sometime in the near future. Until then, please enjoy this cherished—though slightly shaky—moment. 🎶