Shaun Ilahi is an advocate, artist and storyteller. Ilahi is a world traveler capturing simple moments through different mediums. His inspiration comes from the day-to-day relationships and interactions that we experience as we traverse through life. His works have been exhibited in Nebraska, New York, and Pakistan.

This image is an overlay of two photographs that intertwine various cultures.

The image depicts one of several traditional dances performed during the Mughal era. These performances took place in courtly gatherings called mehfils, where the tawaif (highly sophisticated courtesans) catered to nobility with poetry and music. The tawaif were deeply influential and were considered an authority on etiquette. The dances were a type of storytelling told through hand movements, footwork, facial expressions, bends, and turns. This specific dance is called kathak and still performed today.

The image portrays an early performance by Saieen Zahoor, a renowned singer who gained fame in his 60s after spending most of his life performing at Sufi shrines. He resonates a passionate, high-energy style of singing, often dancing in a frenzied style with the tassels on his instrument whirling around him. His typical outfit includes embroidered kurta, beads, tightly bound turban, as well as anklet-bells worn by dances.