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Poetry and peace
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SYED MUTHAHAR SAQAF and PRATHIBHA PARAMESWARAN were totally engrossed in qawwali recitals held at the annual Urs festival
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Pic. by R.M. Rajarathinam
Entralling the audience
"Mere Natharwali dada! Sab kuch sarkar tumhein se hai; Tiruchi mei bahar tumhein se hai" (Respected Saint Hazrath Natharwali! Everything the world witnesses is due to your blessings. You are the major attraction of Tiruchi city)...
WHEN ZAHIDULLA KHAN, a qawwali singer from Mysore, recited these verses at the 1007th annual Urs festival of the Sufi Saint Hazrath Table Alam Badsha here early this week, it was a sure shot indication of how the night would turn for qawwali lovers.
As Zahidulla Khan continued "Khaali hai mere haath na zar hai na zevar; Dada ne meri soyi taqdeer jagayee hai, seene me mohabbat ki khandil jalayee hai" (My hands are empty and I do not possess any valuable treasure; Oh saint you have made my fortune bright and you have kindled the concept of love and affection in my heart)... the crowd raptured into a rhapsody.
"Dubara irshad" (repeat again) was on the lips of every listener who by now had transcended into an entirely new world of music and emotions.
Qawwali is the most popular Islamic traditional recital, not only in India but world over.
It is a form of music that preaches the tenets of Sufism while enthralling the listener.
It serves as a guide for philosophical songs with love and peace as its themes.
With the hymns written mostly in Urdu, this form of music is acclaimed as best suited for the singer to combine deep mystical philosophy of Sufism and powerful human emotions.
The rendition has a magnetic effect on the listeners.
History of qawwali
In the olden days, Sufi saints like Hazrath Khaja Gharib Nawaz, whose tomb is in Ajmer, patronised this art form.
In present times qawwali concerts are globally popular and attract even the non-Urdu speaking audience.
The Urs festival brought home to the Tiruchiites, the many hues of qawwali. Chand Sulthana from Chennai, the young brothers from Bangalore Roshan Qadri and Zameer Qadri and the local hero M. A. Jinna were some noted qawwals, besides Khan, who enlivened the concerts with their powerful voices, enchanting the crowd that thronged the Dargah hall braving the inclement whether.
Rendering a good qawwali is by no means an easy task. And Zahidulla Khan confirms : "The work of a good qawwal is a difficult job and cannot be performed successfully by any ordinary class of singers or musicians.
They must have immense knowledge of the poetic tradition in several languages and they must keep up with the times and know what novel pieces appeal to the listeners".
Captivating music
The audience sat captivated by the rendition of `nazams' and `kalams' (songs written in praise of Prophet Mohamed). The songs on Hazrath Ali, Hazrath Ghousepaak of Baghdad, Khaja Gharib Nawaz and other saints drew thunderous applause. Haroon Ali Baig on harmonium and Azam Pasha on tabla and the `dholak' pitched in with their rhythm of perfect beats.
Ms. Chand Sultana touched the hearts of many when she recited "Allah bhi Rasool ka, jannat Rasool ki; dozagh me kaise jayegi ummat Rasool ki" (God belonged to Prophet Mohamed so also the paradise, the hell is banned for the followers of Prophet).
Undoubtedly, the listeners were treated to an unforgettable evening and perhaps regretted why it had to end.
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