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From eating at local joints to enjoying the rains to writing Shayaris, Goa has a very special place for Mohd Asif aka Bismil.
The Sufi singer and performer was in Goa recently to attend a wedding in South Goa’s Cavelossim. He landed at Dabolim airport and had to face the wrath of Goa’s rains, but dressed in a grey tee shirt, he seemed calm, composed and relaxed as he sat for a tête-à-tête with GT Digital.
“I do have a lot of memories of Goa and my visits here. Whenever I want some time for myself, away from the hustle-bustle of city life, I come to Goa. The place has never disappointed me and always treats me well,” he said with a smile on his face.
Did you know that some of the shayaris that Bismil perform on stage have been written in Goa? “Well, I‘m always inspired by Goa – the weather, the people that reside here and the food - all (of these) have a charm that drag me towards them. Goa has given me much and I’m very grateful. I have written a few shayaris here. Whenever I perform these, I announce that they were composed in Goa. Hence, Goa is really close to my heart,” said the Bismil, with chiselled features, as he posed for a few photographs in his hotel room.
I‘m always inspired by Goa – the weather, the people that reside here, the food and the cuisine, all have a charm that drag me towards them.
Sufi singer Bismil
Lucky are those who have a friend in Goa, and Bismil is as lucky as it gets. “I have a few friends, who live here in Goa, so I get to be with them. For me, though, it’s all about chilling and writing. I love to sit on the balcony at night and write – it’s really calming for me,” said Bismil, who was also dejected as he had to leave the next day for an event in Delhi.
Goa is synonymous to not just a party destination but its wide range of cuisine. And Bismil knows exactly what he will eat when he is in Goa.
“I love my rice, cafreal and prawn curry. That is my fixed menu in Goa. The flavours of Goan food cannot be found in any other part of the country. Of course I also love to visit Baba Au Rhum in Anjuna, I go to Beno in Benaulim for breakfast and Jamun in Assagao. Jamun makes some really tasty jamun-based drinks,” said the Sufi artiste, whose, ‘Bismil ki Mehfil’ got featured on the iconic Times Square billboard in New York City in 2023.
He added, “Social media helps connect internationally and since I do Sufi music, it helps to promote such content. Social media helps artistes grow,” asserted the qawwali artist.
Asked about where he finds the kind of inspiration, he quickly replied, “Heartbreaks are the biggest inspiration.” His new song, Tere Naino Se was recently launched in a studio release and met with appreciation by his large fan following.
Talking on Goan music, he said he loved the instruments that accompany it. “They are very westernised, despite that I love Goan music. Music has no boundaries, it’s just different genres and if I ever get an opportunity to collaborate with a Goan artiste I would love it,” said the Sufi artiste as he signed out hoping to visit Goa again, sometime soon.