Qawwali enthralls music lovers

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan National Council of the arts (PNCA) started a 2-day Qawwali festival to entertain isolates with performance of renowned Qawwals late Tuesday.

Featuring a unique expression of Qawwali Allama Nazir Chishti Qawwal and group, Tanveer Salamat Noshi Qawwal and Group, Naeem Munawwar Santo Qawwal and Group, Sher Mian Dad Qawal and Amjad Farid Sabri Qawwal enthralled the residents of the twin cities and music lovers while Muhammed Jamil Hajveri, Akhtar Sharif Radapwalay, Sabir Hussain, Javed Bakhshi Salamat Qawwal, Ameer Ali Qawwal, Rasheed Akhtar Maqbool and Ali Noshi will perform on the second day for providing an opportunity to the audience and entertainment lovers to enjoy the melodious expressions of Qawwali.

The Qawwal parties lead by young Qawwali Maestros, who are successfully carrying forward the mission of safeguarding the Qawwali traditions, gave the message of love, peace and harmony through soft feelings of music.

Speaking about the show, Director General PNCA, Tauqeer Nasir said that 'Sufis' have played a significant role in dissemination of the divine message of Islam.

The Qawwals took this message to the four corners of subcontinent through their piercing art of Qawwali. He said that Islam is a religion of love and peace but unfortunately is misinterpreted by a particular segment of ill-wishers of Islam.

Qawwali is the traditional form of Islamic song while the one who sings Qawali is called 'Qawwal' who closely links his inspirations to the spiritual aspects.

Mostly, Qawwali is linked to the Sufi traditions and Islamic verses having a mystical school of Islamic thought which strives to attain truth and divine love by direct personal experience.

He said Qawali follows a very specific psychological process in which one starts with the singing of the song. In this psychological state the song is received in a manner that is not unlike standard forms of musical expression.

The words are sung, quite repeatedly with variations intended to bring out deeper means of the lyrics, he said adding, after a while there is a repetition to the extent that the words cease to have a meaning.

For Qawali, the musical accompaniment is varied; harmonium, tabla, dholak, sarangi, saringda, and rabab, are common instruments.

Furthermore, a simple clapping of the hands is a popular rhythmic support.

He said this is the high time to highlight the softer image of the country through different art mediums, particularly Qawwali.