<p>PAVAN GURU is a rabab-driven version of Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak’s 15th Century verse about finding wonder and Oneness in nature; Oneness as a call to action. The recording was inspired by Essar (a Muslim) and Singh (a Sikh) touring together last fall in the US for two months as a part of the Revolutionary Love Tour with author and activist Valarie Kaur.<br />
<br />
“We played this stripped down version of this devotional song every night for weeks with just rabab and trumpet,” explains Singh. “As we toured the country with Qais on rabab and me singing, we felt like we were walking the path of Bhai Mardana and Guru Nanak 500 years later.” <br />
<br />
Essar continues, “Playing the rabab in Sikh spaces has always been meaningful to me. Bhai Mardana, a Muslim rababi, was there at the very beginning of Sikhi, and the legacy of Muslim rababis in gurdwaras [Sikh houses of worship] continued for hundreds of years. When Sonny and I play together, there is no concept of who is Sikh or who is Muslim; it’s always about experiencing the Oneness.” <br />
<br />
The music video for PAVAN GURU, shot and directed by award-winning Indian American filmmaker Shruti Parekh, features Essar and Singh singing and playing in nature, sitting in the forest of northern Arizona, close to Essar’s home.</p>
<p> </p>
