Indian thought – steeped in bhakti – is broadly classified as saguna and nirguna. Saguna is devotion to a personal god – one with gunas, or attributes. The devotee remains distinct from his deity and, usually, takes recourse to certain rituals to reach the latter. Bhakti for Rama or Krishna, generally, offers the best examples of saguna bhakti and Tulasidas, Surdas and Mira are the finest poets of this stream. Nirguna bhakti is devotion to an impersonal, attribute-less godhead. Kabir is a poet par excellence of this stream.

Octogenarian Padmaram Meghwal mainly sings the bhajan of Mira, Kabir, Ramdeo, Tulasidas and Sadaram. “I, somehow, believe I am from their clan,” he says and resolves the differences between the two streams. Padmaram Meghwal is one of the finest singers in Barmer, where he lives. He learnt to play the tandura (veena) from his guru Sahja Bai Saadh with whom he lived for 10 years. Music is a source of emotional succour and connects him with God, he says. His haunting voice, coupled with the rich lyrics of Meera and other poets, makes his renditions a truly moving experience. Applauded by the illustrious folklorist and ethnomusicologist Komal Kothari several years ago, Padmaram specializes in singing for Jagrans, the all-night gatherings of devotional songs. He also sings in Sindhi. He still does riyaz and sings in a temple in his village. “With time, my talent has risen to new heights… but I can no longer perform the way I used to. Yet, growing older has not broken my confidence.”