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Troubadours of Allah

by Horst A. Friedrichs

Photographs: Horst Friedrichs

Text: Peter Pannke

Publisher: Frederking and Thaler

192 pages

Pictures: 120 color photographs

Year: 1999

ISBN: 3894053909

Price: 58 €

Comments: Includes a 10 track CD of Sufi music; German

Encounter the Troubadours of Allah in this stunning photographic book that explores the traditions of Sufi musicians on their quest for truth and spiritual union with the divine. Originating in the 13th Century, the term Sufi is an honorary title in the Islamic world and is awarded to individuals who endeavor to achieve further spiritual development for themselves and others in promoting a message of brotherhood and unity for humankind. Taken by the acclaimed German photojournalist Horst A. Friedrichs over a period of two years, the spectacular collection of images were shot in the Indus Valley, Sindh, - the southernmost province of Pakistan - where there are many holy shrines to Sufi saints. Horst Friedrichs’ photographic portrayal of Sufi musicians in India goes beneath the surface that most geographically based photography books only skim, to capture the essence of music within the culture and faces of its devotees. While relying heavily on the vibrant colours that we can only expect from this region, the images of evening festivals beautifully unite the luminescent sky and blurred movement of the festival goers in their trance-like states. The level of intimacy reached with these subjects is evident through the detail and concentration given to specific individuals. What sets this book apart is the inclusion of a 10-track CD of Sufi music, which enhances the act of viewing to a mysteriously hypnotic experience. (Lauren Heinz, foto 8, 2005)

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