Amjad Ali Khan, master of classical Indian music, performs at the Baha'i Lotus Temple

NEW DELHI, 22 November 2000 (BWNS) -- Earlier this year the Baha'i House of Worship received a letter from the eminent master of the sarod, Ustad mjad Ali Khan, expressing his desire to perform on the premises of the Temple. "I have had a dream for sometime now, which I want to share with you," he wrote. "I have wished to perform, most humbly, with the Baha'i Temple in the background."

Amjad Ali Khan's dream was fulfilled yesterday when he performed with his two sons, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, with the lotus-shaped House of Worship glimmering in the moonlight behind him. They played the sarod, a classical Indian instrument resembling the lute, with an ensemble of traditional Indian musicians. The concert was held as part of the opening ceremony for the international "Colloquium on Science, Religion and Development" organized by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of India and the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (see related story).

When asked about the significance of playing, as a devout Muslim, at a Baha'i House of Worship, Amjad Ali Khan said, "I feel connected to every religion of the world. Water, air, fire, flowers and music have no religion, but their beauty is universally acknowledged. I feel drawn to any religion that is not fanatical in its approach but teaches love of other humans."

The concert was the tenth in a series of performances given by Amjad Ali Khan under the title "Sarod for Harmony."

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