Music dissolves boundaries: Pakistan band Raeth

Pakistan's Sufi rock band 'Raeth', which shot to fame with its music launch in India in 2006 and has performed across the country since then thrives on the concept of bringing people together through music.

"Music is life. Music has the power to bind people together. Our songs are appreciated equally both in Pakistan and India," says Sunny Gansham the band's guitarist.

The three-member band from Karachi was here recently for a performance that mixed western rock and eastern Sufiyana.

"Our job is to thrive on the universal denominators which are common to people belonging to all regions of the world. The things like laughter, joy, sadness, marriage, love and mirth are common to us all. Don't they?" says Wajhi Farouqui, another member of the trio.

At a chic urban village here, the musicians began their performance with hit song Bhulaa Do following it with one song after another that "seemed to transform the listeners into a time capsule in which some mystic masseur played Sufi music," according to a member of the audience.

As the songs got groovier, the foot-tapping audience was not in a mood to allow the band even a 10 minute break.

"Once more, no break," yelled the crowd oblivious to the theatrics of the band players who unsuccessfully tried their best to convince crowd of their fatigue.

"I was a kid when I heard Bon Jovi songs. The song "It's my life" inspired me greatly. Then I heard of the tussle between Bon Jovi and the music companies. It was one of the inspirations behind forming the band," says Gansham who claims to be of Indian lineage.

One of the members of the Pakistani band says, " We were just College pass-outs when we sang Bhulaa Do. It was an instant hit. When we arrived at Delhi Airport many girls recognised us and sought autographs," says a band member.

Hassan Farabi, the third member of the trio says he was touched to see his picture painted among musical greats on a wall in Mumbai, where the band had launched their first album in 2006.

The video was well received on the Pakistani TV music channels and on FM radio. But few could imagine the band's stellar rise over the next six months.

In September, 2006, 'Raeth' was launched across India and they were touted as "the next big thing from Pakistan" after following in the footsteps of other bands like Junoon, Strings and Jal.

"India is a dream country for any musician. We never expected this stellar rise. In India peole respect music. We were launched on the global front by an Indian music company" says Gansham.

Next up on the agenda of the music group is a playback association with upcoming Bollywood flick Marksheet, which is based on campus life in Delhi.

"We are excited about the prospect of singing a couple of songs for the movie. It would be a great thing for the band. Nothing like it," says Wajhi.