These lines stand so true for Begum Abida Parveen, the Sufi singer of our times. The aura of spirituality and a commitment of a lifetime to Sufism and Sufi music in her is difficult to ignore. Here, to perform at the ongoing music festival Vasantotsav which will continue till February 10, the singer says, "It is an invitation of love and friendship, which I would've never ignored." It also happens to be her first performance in Pune. Coming from a family that was close to the shrines of Sufi saints and brought up in an environment of mysticism, poetry and music, she possesses a deep knowledge and a sensibility of expression. "Music was always present in nature. It cannot be and was never invented by a human being. The Almighty God sent it. Without music, all that remains of a person is body without soul," she muses.

With the popularity of Sufi music going up in recent times and a lot of Hindi films cashing on to this popularity, she remains original and versatile in her recitation and style. "Bekhudi mein bhi toh khud hai," she says, explaining the concept of Khuda and Khud.

"One has to start loving oneself first and only then is it possible to surrender to God. Bekhudi, which means forgetting oneself, will start only when you know yourself," she explains. The strong influence of Begum Akhtar, the legendary ghazal singer is evident.

Her classical background gives her a command over ornamentation and control on her notes. The intensity she brings to singing makes her a compelling artist. "An artist knows no borders. I feel at home in Pune too. There is a famous couplet stating that no one should ask about the caste or creed of saints, because they have none," says the Pakistani singer. She opulently embroiders her spiritualism in the legacy of Sufi music. "I want love from the Pune audience. Every time I climb up on stage to perform, I consider it to be my first and last performance and try to keep that honesty alive," she says, when asked about her expectations from the audience in Pune.