Music Does Not Belong to Any One Faith, It Belongs to Feeling, Says Abhijeet Ghoshal

Music reaches places where language and belief often stop, says singer and performer Abhijeet Ghoshal. “Long before we learn what to believe, we learn how to feel. The first thing a foetus responds to is the rhythm of a heartbeat. That rhythm is music,” he explains.

Recalling a moment from his training, Abhijeet shares how his guru, Tulika Ghosh ji, once taught him a bandish in Raag Bhairav with the words Allah O Allah, Jale Shaan Allah. “As she sang, tears kept rolling down her eyes. We were doing classical Indian music, but the devotion went far beyond religion. Music didn’t need permission. It just existed,” he says.

He witnessed a similar experience years later when Vedanta saints Swami Premanand and Swami Prabuddhanand visited his home. “Premanand Swami began singing Assamese devotional songs without any instruments, his hands stretched in surrender. None of us understood the language, yet everyone had tears in their eyes. That’s when I realised music communicates experience, not words,” Abhijeet reflects.

In musical terms, he explains, when a note lands perfectly, musicians say ‘lau lag gayi’. “It’s an inner fire, an awakening of the soul. It has nothing to do with belief systems. It responds only to authenticity,” he says.

According to Abhijeet, music functions through frequencies rather than language. “The notes Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni exist as vibrations, and these vibrations appear in musical traditions across the world. Even animals respond to sound without understanding words. That connection is instinctive and universal,” he notes.

He often compares music to a circulatory system. “Just as blood nourishes the body, sargam nourishes all music across cultures. Take sa re ga ma pa, and then sing ‘Happy Birthday to You’. You can sing it in any language. The structure remains the same,” Abhijeet says.

This, he believes, is why music exists beyond labels. “Sanskrit chants, Arabic ayat, Hebrew hymns, Hallelujah or Hare Krishna — remove the words and the patterns are identical. The expression changes, but the heart of music remains constant,” he says.

In a world focused on differences, Abhijeet feels music offers a quiet reminder of what is shared. “Music doesn’t argue or explain. It only asks us to listen. Somewhere between a perfectly placed note and a moment of silence, we are already connected,” he concludes.

Today, Abhijeet continues performing across India, blending devotional music with Bollywood melodies. He recently won the Clef Music Award for Damroo Bajaye, and his self-written and composed Khatu Shyam bhajans are set to release soon on T-Series, along with a Superfast Hanuman Chalisa.