On the evening of 1 June 2026, The Vagabond Club Singapore, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel on Syed Alwi Road, became the setting for a deeply reflective and spiritually resonant gathering. Business leaders, diplomats, philanthropists, wellness practitioners, and seekers came together for Sina Ba Sina: Heart to Heart, an intimate dialogue led by Sufi Musafir Haji Syed Salman Chishty, 26th Generation Gaddi Nashin of Dargah Ajmer Sharif and Chairman of Chishty Foundation, India.
Carrying an uninterrupted spiritual lineage spanning over eight centuries, Haji Syed Salman Chishty arrived not merely as a distinguished guest but as a bearer of the Chishty message—that love is not merely an emotion, but a discipline, a path, and a transformative force.
The evening was moderated with warmth and intellectual depth by Harpreet Bedi Garcha, Chief Executive Officer of Garcha Group. The gathering drew diplomats, corporate leaders, wellness experts, and philanthropists, reflecting Singapore’s role as a crossroads of cultures and ideas. Ajay Singh, First Secretary at the Indian High Commission in Singapore, lent diplomatic distinction to the occasion.
The Vagabond Club, renowned for championing arts, culture, and creative exchange, provided a fitting setting for an evening dedicated to dialogue, reflection, and spiritual connection.
“The world is not broken because of a lack of information; it is fractured because of a lack of presence. When one heart truly meets another—without agenda, without armour—that is the Sufi path for seeking hearts. That is the teaching of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (r). Come not to learn about love; come to become it.”
— Sufi Musafir Haji Syed Salman Chishty
Reflecting on the gathering, Harpreet Bedi Garcha said:
“When I first heard the phrase Sina Ba Sina—heart to heart—I thought I understood it. Tonight, sitting in this room, I felt it. That is the difference Haji Syed Salman Chishty carries with him. He does not lecture; he transmits. Singapore is a city that has built bridges across civilizations, and tonight that bridge turned inward.”
She added:
“The Vagabond Club has always brought together people from all walks of life through creativity, culture, and conversation. Over the years, we have welcomed artists, musicians, writers, travellers, and thinkers from around the world, creating space for meaningful exchange and connection. It was a privilege to host Haji Syed Salman Chishty and this remarkable gathering. The spirit of Sina Ba Sina felt particularly at home here, where genuine human connection remains at the heart of memorable experiences.”
Throughout the evening, Haji Chishty shared reflections on spiritual seeking, lineage, and the challenges of contemporary life.
On the spiritual journey, he observed:
“A Musafir never arrives—that is the beauty of the path. Wherever seeking hearts gather, the noble fragrance is already there. We simply follow that fragrance.”
On lineage and responsibility:
“It is a sacred trust—like a glowing sun, a flowing river, a welcoming earth. The lineage does not belong to us. We are a hollow reed, as Rumi says. The music belongs to the Beloved.”
Addressing a divided world, he offered a message rooted in compassion:
“Love Towards All, Malice Towards None. Apply it honestly to one difficult relationship and the walls dissolve—not because the other person changes, but because you do.”
On navigating modern life:
“Learn the language of silence. Begin your day with gratitude and end it with patience. Sufism does not ask you to leave the world; it asks you to be fully present within it.”
Drawing from diverse spiritual traditions, Haji Chishty highlighted shared truths that unite humanity—from the Quranic Al-Khalqu Ayalullah (all creation is the family of God), to the Indic Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), the Sufi Wahdat al-Wujud (Unity of Being), Advaita Vedanta’s non-duality, and the Sikh principle of Ek Noor, Ek Onkar—One Light, One God, One Creation.
“These are not different roads,” he said. “They are different languages describing the same river flowing toward one ocean—Love.”
The evening concluded with Rumi’s timeless invitation:
“Come, come, whoever you are, come.
Even if you have broken your vows a thousand times.
Our doors are not the door of despair;
Our doors are the door of hope—hope and hope.”
The meet-and-greet that followed extended well beyond its scheduled time, with many attendees visibly moved by the experience.
ABOUT HAJI SYED SALMAN CHISHTY
- 26th Generation Gaddi Nashin, Dargah Ajmer Sharif
- Chairman, Chishty Foundation – Ajmer Sharif
- Representative of the Chishti tradition across 75 countries
- Widely known as Sufi Musafir — The Spiritual Traveller
- Guiding principle: Love Towards All, Malice Towards None
ABOUT THE VAGABOND CLUB
The Vagabond Club Singapore, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, is among Singapore’s most celebrated independent hotels and a longstanding patron of arts, culture, and creative expression. Part of the Garcha Group, the hotel serves as a gathering place for artists, musicians, writers, and thinkers from around the world.