As I approached towards the main hall, arrangements were being made before the beginning of Qawwali - the Sufi music. The Qawwals(musicians) were tuning in sitar and tabla while two harmoniums were kept aside covered, yet to be uncovered for showing the magic of dancing fingers on ebony and ivory keys for releasing of a musical perfume. Likewise, just a slight touch on the strings of sitar would give rise to such a magical reverberating music that could overwhelm every other sound whether high or low, making the listener resonated with its beauty. As Shaykh had yet to arrive, a few disciples were talking in a subdued way so as not to disturb the sacredness of that immaculate atmosphere. Facing musicians was the seating place of the Shaykh. The bracket enveloping the nothingness between the Shaykh and the musicians was converted into a rectangle due to rows of the disciples stretching from both the left and right hand sides of Shaykh to the
musicians sitting on parallel strips of red carpet. The remaining floor was all white due to white sheets (chandnis) giving an immaculate touch to an already religious milieu. Behind the seating place of the Shaykh, a bamboo curtain was hanging down to segregate women. Everyone was supposed to sit on the floor; hence I sat in one of the rows in a respectful attentive manner, as has been the custom of such gatherings. Most of the disciples were dressed in white with their heads covered. The disciples were continuously coming in and would be directed by the management committee to sit row by row. At about the prescribed time, rows were filled up and the musical instruments tuned in. In the meantime, Shaykh enteredand walked slowly in a graceful manner towards his seat. All disciples stood up to pay respect to him. Once, he settled down, disciples approached to kiss his hand in a customary manner. Incense sticks were lighted and white smoke started rising and dispersing away from the source leaving just the perfume behind. Then, Fateha i.e. the recitation from Quran (Qir’at) began. The Qaris (recitors) created such a deep silence with their flawless recitation, where mind with its habitual chattering and thinking pattern seemed to take a break and simply drowned into the sea of peace. My eyes were getting heavier with an inner contentment, but before I could fall into a state of sleep, qawwali started and charged the atmosphere with a sweet fire of rapture. The rhythm of tabla like the heart beat was strong enough to give life to the sleeping souls. Last but not the least, rendition of Sufi poetry by the Qawwals would take the music to such heights that veil between the listeners and music existed no more. A sense of true unity prevailed. The beautiful heart catching poetry of the Sufis with equally great compositions based on Ragas charged the atmosphere in such a way that I seemed to exist in a peaceful world, but with a burning sensation of ecstasy side by side, just as the burning sun was existed within the cool moon.
MUSIC / QAWWALI
A dance of poetry occurs
When a variety of sounds chase the words
Through the vicissitudes of beauty
To create a graceful song of harmonious colorful pattern of
dreamlike reality
It is like the Essence of
Many flowers producing a unique perfume of profound
beauty or like the
Creative efforts of numerous bees to produce the sweetest
honey.
musicians sitting on parallel strips of red carpet. The remaining floor was all white due to white sheets (chandnis) giving an immaculate touch to an already religious milieu. Behind the seating place of the Shaykh, a bamboo curtain was hanging down to segregate women. Everyone was supposed to sit on the floor; hence I sat in one of the rows in a respectful attentive manner, as has been the custom of such gatherings. Most of the disciples were dressed in white with their heads covered. The disciples were continuously coming in and would be directed by the management committee to sit row by row. At about the prescribed time, rows were filled up and the musical instruments tuned in. In the meantime, Shaykh enteredand walked slowly in a graceful manner towards his seat. All disciples stood up to pay respect to him. Once, he settled down, disciples approached to kiss his hand in a customary manner. Incense sticks were lighted and white smoke started rising and dispersing away from the source leaving just the perfume behind. Then, Fateha i.e. the recitation from Quran (Qir’at) began. The Qaris (recitors) created such a deep silence with their flawless recitation, where mind with its habitual chattering and thinking pattern seemed to take a break and simply drowned into the sea of peace. My eyes were getting heavier with an inner contentment, but before I could fall into a state of sleep, qawwali started and charged the atmosphere with a sweet fire of rapture. The rhythm of tabla like the heart beat was strong enough to give life to the sleeping souls. Last but not the least, rendition of Sufi poetry by the Qawwals would take the music to such heights that veil between the listeners and music existed no more. A sense of true unity prevailed. The beautiful heart catching poetry of the Sufis with equally great compositions based on Ragas charged the atmosphere in such a way that I seemed to exist in a peaceful world, but with a burning sensation of ecstasy side by side, just as the burning sun was existed within the cool moon.
MUSIC / QAWWALI
A dance of poetry occurs
When a variety of sounds chase the words
Through the vicissitudes of beauty
To create a graceful song of harmonious colorful pattern of
dreamlike reality
It is like the Essence of
Many flowers producing a unique perfume of profound
beauty or like the
Creative efforts of numerous bees to produce the sweetest
honey.
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