Will he teach him further? Bulleh Shah asked his teacher to write on the board and he agreed. He asked him that he has learnt the lesson that the teacher taught him. Teacher couldn’t recognize him and he couldn’t forget that master who taught him his Life. After mastering his lessons briefly he went to the same teacher who taught him Alif in school and told him that he had learnt his lesson. He then started living in the forest and realized the manifestation of Alif in various forms of nature like tree, grass, flowers, branch, fruit etc. So one day Bulleh Shah escaped from his home so that he would no longer be a burden for his parents. Sent him to various good teacher, provided him with scholars but all in vain. Parents got tensed and worked hard for him. He contacted his parents and told them that their son is deficient and he can not teach him. After few weeks, the teacher noticed Bulleh Shah still mastering the same alphabet and not showing any progress. His class fellows learnt all the alphabet set but Bulleh Shah was still there, mastering the same letter. When Bulleh Shah was sent to school to get education, his master taught him Alif, the first alphabet of Arabic language. So, last year I tried to be as constructive as possible.I am fond of various sufiyana kalam and Aik Alif (By Baba Bulleh Shah) is closest to my heart. I have been a part of various online discussions. I took classes, participated in virtual programmes with the kids and other artists. Being an optimistic person, I believe that if things go wrong there must be a good reason behind it. Khanam: For the past one year, due to Covid, life has given us time for us to think positively. How did you keep refining your practice during 2020's lockdown? What did it mean to you? But with conviction, power and passion I was able to overcome all these and till today I am working in the society by maintaining all due respect. Being a Muslim, I had little obstacles as at those time dancing was not pursued openly.

But when you are focussed on your goals you don't realise when you have surpassed those odds. Khanam: Every artist, every human has odds in their life and it is very natural. You have defied many odds during your dance career. I have performed on it at an international level and collaborated with international artists and Sufi dancers. Alongside, I have done research and been working on Islamic verses, Sufiana kalam of renowned poets for the past more than 20 years. Sufi has a very simple way, let it be through devotion or Sufi, it's the same thing. To blend with Sufi in one colour without any discrimination is a way to connect with the supreme power above - the almighty. Khanam: Sufi is not a practice, it is a thought. You are a practising Sufi, how do you incorporate it into your dance practice? Please also tell us about the historical research undertaken by you on the Islamic influence on Kathak. For me Kathak is like a meditation, a sadhana which is there in my everyday practice. I pursued Kathak as it is one of the classical dances of the North and carried on with it since then. In fact, since a very early age I have seen and understood things through dance's perspective. Everything I have done so far, is a contribution to this field. Khanam: I have been dancing since childhood. Excerpts from IANSlife's interview with her on the sidelines: The founder director of 'Aamad Kathak Dance Centre' in east Delhi, Khanam recently performed on the compositions of Bulleh Shah and Hazrat Amir Khusrau. She has also used choreographed productions as a medium to raise awareness on causes like HIV/AIDS, rights of women, including Muslim women, and persons with disabilities. Integrating Islamic verses and Sufiana Kalam of mystic Sufi poets in her Kathak practice for over 20 years, she has carved a global niche as a pioneering Muslim Kathak classical dancer.

An astute Kathak danseuse of the Lucknow Gharana, Rani Khanam has dared to differ in her dance practice.

Sufiana kalam bulleh shah