
What happens when the language of love transcends religious boundaries?In this thought-provoking seminar, Dr Ankur Barua (University of Cambridge) explores the deep intersections between Hindu Bhakti (devotional love) and Islamic Sufism (taṣawwuf) in premodern South Asia.Through figures like Dārā Shukōh, Ras Khān, and Kazi Nazrul Islam, Dr Barua reveals how devotional poetry, music, and theology became a shared language of divine love that crossed cultural and religious lines. This talk challenges both the narrative of conflict and the illusion of perfect harmony, offering a balanced view of how Hindus and Muslims have expressed love for God—and for each other—through shared traditions of beauty and longing.