Music has an extraordinary way of breaking barriers of language, culture, and background.
It reaches directly into the heart, bypassing the need for explanation.
I was reminded of this truth on Wednesday (September 24) when I attended Diljit Dosanjh’s Aura Tour concert at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.
The Punjabi superstar, who has become an international phenomenon, delivered an electrifying performance that left an indelible impression on me, not just as entertainment but as a deeply healing and uplifting experience.
I found myself swept into a crowd of 15,000 people at the indoor stadium, and the air was electric even before the lights dimmed.
Anticipation hung heavy, fans waved flags, and the hum of conversation gave way to cheers the moment the stage lit up.
Then, with a burst of sound and light, Diljit Dosanjh strode onto the stage, turbaned, smiling, and radiating an energy that instantly connected him to everyone in the hall.
I will admit this at the outset: I do not understand Hindi or Punjabi. And yet, that night it did not matter.
The lyrics might have been lost to me, but the music was not.
Each beat, each melody, each rise in tempo went straight to the heart.
Music, I realised once again, is a universal language. It doesn’t demand translation; it simply demands to be felt.
From the opening number to the last, Diljit had the audience on their feet. People clapped, swayed, and sang at the top of their lungs.
Some even climbed onto chairs, swept away by the rhythm, and refused to let their bodies remain still.
The songs were not only entertaining but also healing.
Their cheerfulness, energy, and sheer vibrancy dissolved the stresses of everyday life.
By the second song, I could sense myself smiling unconsciously, as if the music itself had reached in and flicked on a light within.
What makes Diljit unique is the range of music he offers.
His repertoire spans Punjabi pop and bhangra, featuring infectious beats that are designed to make people dance, laugh, and celebrate.
He also has a softer side, singing romantic ballads that capture love, longing, and heartbreak with sincerity.
Beyond entertainment, his music carries deeper messages of cultural pride and identity.
Tracks like Main Hoon Panjab celebrate the spirit of Punjab, reminding people of their roots, language, and resilience.
At times, his songs touch on spirituality and social values, expressing gratitude, humility, and respect for women.
One moment, the crowd is bouncing in joy to a bhangra number; the next, they are swaying to a heartfelt ballad, and then they stand in awe as he belts out a declaration of cultural pride. It is a rollercoaster of emotions, stitched together by his warm presence and undeniable charisma.
The production in Kuala Lumpur was nothing short of spectacular. Blazing lights, dynamic visuals, dances and pounding beats transformed the stadium into a pulsating universe of sound and colour.
But behind the spectacle, what struck me most was Diljit himself.
Despite his superstar aura, he came across as approachable and humble, often bantering with the audience between songs.
There was warmth in his voice, a sincerity that reminded us that beyond the fame stood a man deeply connected to his roots and people.
He paused to salute the Indian flag, which was waved proudly by his fans from India, then clasped his palms in a gesture of prayerful gratitude before prostrating and kissing the stage as a mark of appreciation.
As the night progressed, I found myself reflecting on the deeper role music plays in our lives. Beyond entertainment, it is a balm. It heals. It reminds us of our shared humanity.
In spiritual gatherings I have attended, I have seen how collective chanting can raise vibrations, uplifting everyone present.
At Diljit’s concert, although the setting was modern and the rhythms contemporary, the essence remained the same.
Music had turned strangers into companions, uniting them in joy, love, and rhythm.
Then came the finale. The opening notes of Main Hoon Panjab filled the stadium, and the reaction was immediate.
The song’s title translates to “I am Punjab,” a bold declaration of pride and identity.
It is more than a song; it is an anthem.
For Diljit, it symbolises connection to his heritage, his turban, his mother tongue, and the Land of the Five Rivers.
For his fans, it is a reminder of resilience, belonging, and cultural pride.
As he sang it, the stadium reverberated with applause and emotion.
The audience, many of them Punjabis living far from home, sang along with tears in their eyes.
Even though I did not know the lyrics, I felt the weight of their meaning.
It was a moment where music transcended entertainment and became testimony, a declaration of selfhood and roots.
Watching Diljit raise his hand and sing Main Hoon Panjab was to witness an artist who never forgets where he came from, even as he shines on global stages.
Walking out of the stadium that night, the echoes of his songs still rang in my ears.
But more than the sound, it was the feeling that lingered.
The concert reminded me of the vital role music plays in our lives.
It lifts us when we are low, it heals wounds we often overlook, and it connects us in ways few other things can.
I may not understand Hindi, but I understood Diljit Dosanjh.
I understood the joy he shared, the pride he carried, and the healing he offered through his art. That is the power of music, it speaks when words cannot.
It tells us we belong, that we are not alone, and that in the end, rhythm and melody are as essential to the human spirit as breath itself.
That night in Bukit Jalil, music reminded me of its most incredible gift: it is not merely heard; it is felt.
And when it resonates, as it did during Diljit Dosanjh’s Aura Tour concert, it electrifies, heals, and lingers long after the final note fades.
Award-winning writer Dr T. Selva is the author of the bestsellers Vasthu Sastra Guide and Secrets of Happy Living. To get a copy, WhatsApp 019-2728464. He can be reached at drtselvas@gmail.com. Facebook: Vasthu Sastra