Greetings Howard Resnick,

Yes, it is indeed sad that the only Muslim spiritual practice that’s comparable to some Buddhism and some Christianity are the determined attempts by some Sunnis to kill it off.

It is heartening to know that in Indian Panjab, after Partition when old mazars of Sufi saints had fallen into dust and desertion, some Dalits of all backgrounds began to save them and preserve the Sufi practices in and around them while celebrating the Urs of the different Saints of Panjab, some of whose verses still reverberate in the minds of Panjabis no matter where they are.

For inspiring revelations of some of these efforts, I recommend two films of a trilogy on Partition made by Ajay Bhardwaj, a Panjabi as well: _Rabba Hun Kee Kariye_ (Thus departed our neighbours), and _Milange Babey Ratan De Mele Te_ (We shall meet at the festival of Baba Ratan). The first is sober and quiet, the second wild and festive.

Contact for Ajay Bhardwaj is:ajayunmukt@gmail.com  His website is here: http://ajaybhardwaj.in/

(I want to note that links mentioning comments I once made on the film pages are dysfunctional.)

Best wishes,

Joanna kirkpatrick