Shamsuddin Faridi Desai

Shamsuddin Faridi Desai (1936-2011) was a rudra veena (bīn) master musician from Bhavnagar district of Saurashtra in Gujarat state, India. He was taught by his father, Muhammad Khan Faridi, who came from the Gauharbani Gharana. Shamsuddin Faridi Desai belonged to Islamic Qadri Sufism and firmly considered music to be a form of prayer. Very few recordings were made, and most of his performances were held in dargahs (tombs of Sufi saints).