New Delhi, June 10
"Main bhaut roya," expressed renowned sufi artist Sagar Bhatia, remembering the never-experienced-before feeling during a recent car drive, where it hit him how much his life has transformed for the better after years of struggles.
Overwhelming and unexplainable emotions of joy and gratefulness left him teary-eyed. That day, he vowed to continue the hard work that had taken him this far in the industry and always make his audience smile with his music, especially with "Sagar Wali Qawwali".
Hailing from Delhi's Jamnapaar, Sagar was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Despite humble beginnings, his ambitions and aspirations remain undeterred and persistent.
In the initial years of his career, he played guitar at Jagrans. He also went to play in bars. In 2010, Sagar formed a band and led as a guitarist and then eventually tried his hand at singing. In 2014, a significant moment came in his life as he participated in the reality show 'India's Raw Star', where he was amongst the Top 6 finalists. He kept on working hard to achieve his goals. He enhanced his skills with every passing year. And with his talent, he has made a mark on Qawwali scene in India.
Inspired by the qawwali legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a couple of years ago, Sagar embarked on a new path by choosing the qawwali genre as a full-fledged profession. Today, his 'Sagar Wali Qawalli' brand has transcended national borders, conducting shows in the US, UK and UAE.
Sagar, a Delhiwala with big dreams in his eyes, learnt everything about music on his own.
"I have never received professional training in music. My experiences taught me everything about different aspects of music. Performing guitar at devotional jagratas taught me a lot. I used to observe people singing. I used to wonder how they could sing for so long at shows. Maine fir bars mein guitar bajaya, Cabret dance mein bajaya, purane and naye gaane mein, paisa bhi kamaya aur seekha bhi," he told ANI.
"Whatever I have learnt from childhood till now, I incorporated it to form my 'Sagar Wali Qawaali'. What I have learnt so far after making mistakes, I will produce something better using all of that later.
Though he does not have a professional guru in his life, he never forgets how his mother played a crucial role in fulfilling his dreams.
"I learnt everything while on the job. I did not have that kind of financial condition to take training. I did not have a teacher. My mother gave me Rs 2400 for learning the guitar for three months. When that money was spent, my learning was over. I started teaching kids. One of those kids asked me 'Woh waala gaana seekhna hai'. I would tell him that I would teach him two days later. I would first learn that song myself and then teach it to them. There was no YouTube or anything like that back then," Sagar shared.
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Through his unique fusion of traditional qawwali with modern music, Sagar has built a huge fan base across various age groups, including Gen Z and older audiences.
"Sagar Wali Qawwali mein Sagar logo ki dil ki baat kar raha hai islie sab connect kar paate hai. Qawwali is not what it used to be earlier. Audience taste has evolved a lot over the years. Keeping the audience's interests in mind, artistes have also changed their ways of performing. My audience starts with children. I feel so happy when I see kids singing my version of 'Sanson Ki Mala Pe'. I feel blessed that music has the ability to attract audiences across generations," he said.
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And recently, Delhiites got lucky as they witnessed the magic of 'Sagar Wali Qawwali'. On June 8, Sagar performed live in his hometown at a sold-out show organised by Team Innovation.
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The entire KD Jhadav stadium reverberated with Sagar's dynamic voice. Of course, credits also go to brand members for elevating his lively performance.
Sagar is now all set to entrall Mumbaikars and his audience in Kolkata with a unique blend of Sufi, classical, and modern music.
— ANI
Reader Comments
What an inspiring journey! From jagrans to international stages - shows that talent combined with hard work always shines through. His fusion qawwali is perfect for today's youth while keeping our musical roots alive. More power to artists like Sagar! 🙌
Attended his Delhi show last week - pure magic! The way he blends traditional qawwali with modern beats is revolutionary. My 16-year-old niece and 60-year-old mom both enjoyed equally. That's the power of good music that transcends generations.
While I appreciate his success, I hope he doesn't dilute qawwali too much for commercial appeal. The essence of this 700-year-old tradition should be preserved. Maybe he can do both - pure traditional performances alongside his fusion versions?
Jamnapaar to the world! 🎶 His story gives hope to so many small-town artists struggling to make it big. The part about learning songs to teach students really touched me - that's true dedication. Can't wait for his Mumbai show!
Saw him perform at a wedding in Dubai last year - the NRIs went crazy for his music! Proud to see Indian artists taking our cultural music global with innovative approaches. His journey from Rs. 2400 guitar lessons to international fame is stuff movies are made of.
As a music teacher, I appreciate how he's making classical forms accessible to younger audiences. My students who wouldn't normally listen to qawwali now hum his versions. However, I hope schools also teach the original forms so the purity isn't lost completely.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.