LIVING WITH QAWWALS OF RAWALPINDI; CHANGING TRENDS IN QAWWALI

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "LIVING WITH QAWWALS OF RAWALPINDI; CHANGING TRENDS IN QAWWALI"

Megan Norris
5 years ago
Views:

1 The Explorer Islamabad: Journal of Social Sciences ISSN: (E), (P) Vol-2, Issue (5): LIVING WITH QAWWALS OF RAWALPINDI; CHANGING TRENDS IN QAWWALI Unas Fazal Raja Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Bahria University Islamabad Corresponding Author: Unas Fazal Raja Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Abstract: Qawwali is the form of art expressed through music which dates back to hundreds of years. The message of Sufism and mysticism entailed through Qawwali has engaged and infatuated people from all parts of the world. Due to changing trends, the genre of Qawwali over the years has transitioned and transformed from a sacred ritual to a commercialized form of entertainment. The following Research paper aims to study the life of traditional Qawwals hailing from the city of Rawalpindi through A sociocultural perspective. The Qawwals studied in this research paper were identified through snowball sampling and were located in the areas of Khanna pul, Raja bazaar, and Pirwadhai. The study also covered the impact of the social aspect of commercialization on the lives of traditional street Qawwals. Through this study it was found out that these Qawwals dedicate their lives to master their talents for which they do not have sufficient showcasing platforms. Keywords: Commercialization, Sufi Music, Traditional Musicians, Modern lifestyle INTRODUCTION The Qawwali embodies philosophical verses pertaining to religion and Sufism. The Qawwali itself is sung by a lead male singer, accompanied by a few accompanying singers/chorus, embellished with clapping of hands and some musical instruments. First of all, Qawwali begins with the praise of God and his Prophet Muhammad. Then they move towards the saint and the Urs. They carry this on for the amount of time they feel fit according to the atmosphere around them. They then combine love songs that helps the listener connect the dots to his God and which carry him far beyond the stars and the sun and the comprehendible knowledge. At this moment, the sing verses that are related to Fana-fi-Allah that helps them create the feeling of that absolute essence. The very last step of this beautifully mystic journey is Baqa-bi-Allah after which the sing verses to bring the listener back from that state of intoxication and back into this world (Rabbani 2005). The traditional Qawwali, in its essence, consisted of a lead singer who is followed by a string of musicians and male chorus singers usually in Urdu, Punjabi or Hindi (even though it is said that Qawwali has no language, for it is sung in the language of the soul). Traditional performances could last from anywhere from 15 minutes to whole nights. The length of the Qawwali or this gathering is dependent upon the mood of the Qawwal and the listeners. The male lead has complete authority on where and where to repeat verses or where to change the Qawwali itself and the musicians would have to follow him (Sakata 1994). The Qawwal himself is guided by certain rules where he has to start by the praise of God then the Prophet then to saints. METHODOLOGY The sample of the research has involved traditional street Qawwals hailing from different parts of Rawalpindi. The Qawwals studied in this research paper were identified through snowball sampling. The Qawwal from the third case study served as the key informant for this research. As he belonged to the Khanna Pul locale he was 110

2 able to link us to the other Qawwals referred in the first and second case study. The methods that were applied in this particular research are of an exploratory nature which involved the use of qualitative methods to explore a social and cultural perspective on the lives of traditional Qawwals. A case study method has been used which involved meeting and conducting in-depth interviews with traditional Qawwals. Findings The findings of this paper have been divided into 3 different case studies, the discussions for which also follow immediately after. Waking up every morning to fight, to carry the beautiful burden of the centuries on their shoulders in return of a few undefined pennies, this is what they strive to do. The three case studies set in different locales of Pirwadhai, Raja Bazaar, and Khanna Pul involves a different set of traditional Qawwals. What is common between all of the Respondents studied in this research paper is that for each of them is the love and compassion they encompass for Qawwali and traditions. Keeping this legacy alive these traditional Qawwals roam about aimlessly between the streets to earn for them and their families. Each of the traditional Qawwals in this research paper belongs to a different family background for each of these Qawwals; Qawwali plays an integral role in their lives. For them it is the only source of income, by performing it on the roads, shrines, private functions, or corporate events. All of them strive to make their lives better, to get a chance to showcase their talents on even better platforms and earn the degree of respect they wish to. These learned, spiritual men of God can be usually found on the streets with a harmonium shyly wrapped around their necks. Their sharp and pleasant voices attracting audiences of all classes and ages, these Qawwals set out in the mornings and return at night with what they have earned. There would be days when they d earn a little while some days they d be lucky enough to be hired to perform in an event. One thing evident in these Qawwals is that they aren t satisfied with their way of earning. According to them the street Qawwal business is such a business that is based upon uncertainty. Saleem from case study 3 doesn t belong from a Qawwali family (gharana), Akram belongs to the Mir Alam gharana whereas the Qawwals studied in case study 1 belongs to the Chisthi Sufi order. Case Study #1: Chaaye with Chishti Brothers The researcher met the Chishti brothers over a nice steaming cup of tea at a local small business restaurant in the middle of one of the busiest roads in the Twin Cities. Well-fed but with the burden of the family legacy weighing heavy on their sturdy shoulders, Sajjad and Bashir Chishti were a different breed of Qawwals than I had met before. Their clear, prideful eyes were testaments of their vanity regarding their lifestyle and the inherited involvement of their family and their forefathers in the development and age old culture of Sufism. Performing at private and corporate functions as well as sharing their musical talents with shrine-goers for the past 20 years, they felt a very obvious integrity regarding their profession and as such requested and queried about whether or not I was here to book them for an event. The Chishtis carried their family legacy close to them and admitted to a need for acknowledgement and recognition because what they do is metaphysical purification through the medium of music and all its simple yet powerful elements which mainly consist of the harmonium, the tabla and one s own passionate vocal chords. When Queried about the fusion of traditional Qawwali with modern age music, Uncle and Nephew both agreed that the mixing of western instruments in the Qawwali genre as is done by studios that re-master classic Qawwalis with guitars and modern bass for example only add to the publicity and building up of the Qawwali culture, a notion that is opposed vehemently by different kinds of other Qawwals according to them. Their protruding bellies did not do much to quell their pride for they talked about how their traditional ways are very pure and even religious in nature pointing a finger towards such Qawwals who perform and sing praises of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and Ali (R.A.) and their disciples in a drunken or drugged state. Their household (Gharana) is staunch in believing that 111

3 performing religious ablution (wudu) is basically essential before they set out on an event or to the streets to earn their money. This is a practice that I found in not all of the respondents that I met with. But coincidentally the lonesome Qawwals who had no tradition of Sufism in their family prior to them were the ones who turned to drugs and routine substance abuse to, in their view, enhance their performance by cutting off or numbing their ability to process their physical environment. The Qawwal Brothers discussed publicity and how they need more of it and more still. These men have been on television before and were eager to get on another such platform through me as well. However, there was a constant stress on them claiming that they perform Qawwali for the sake of keeping their family legacy alive. When asked about their opinion about the commercialization of the art of Qawwali and the singers to represent that, they only had positive things to say about both justifying their views by the notion that the more people know about their work and their music, the better. That being through any way it is done through, as long as the essence of Qawwali remains alive. A different yet tame experience with this family forced me to push aside my pre-conceived perception about the average Qawwal. Like we all are different as well, we seem to categorise a lot of people in the same profession as having the same values. I learned from them that that was not the case at all which was what I believed before I started delving deeper into the lifestyles of traditional Qawwals. Case Study # 2: The Man with a Crooked Smile In place of a skyscraper with glass windows, they walk the dusty pavements and dilapidated asphalt that runs through the busy and crowded locale of Pirwadhai to find work. They pride themselves in breaking free from the ties of the physical world that values and pursues mansions, money and other superficial things that distract the soul from seeking a relationship more divine and mystical in nature. They roam the harsh streets day in and day out, belting out praises and religious poetry in the hopes of both earning some food for their starving bellies as well as enlightening people about the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and the way of life he adopted and advised mankind to follow. Do such men of God not deserve more credit, recognition and respect? These are the questions that seem to plague Akram the Qawwal as I meet and converse with him about his passion, his lifestyle and his chosen profession. His crooked lower jaw seemed to not hinder his ability to sing but rather add to his persona as a loyal and passionate devotee. In his near senile condition, Akram expressed using his low, captivating and pleasant tone of voice how he works towards keeping his promise to the buzurg (Elders) about carrying out their legacy and teaching the art of Sufism to not just their own children (kin) but to as many people as they can manage. Thus comes in the practice of wandering places that are heavily infested with people from all walks of life. The need for a proper institution was something he expressed fervently saying that there is no formal place for them to impart their knowledge of spiritual illumination and the Prophet s (P.B.U.H) way of life which is both a worldly and religious requirement. After discussing the lack of formal institutes and policies regarding his age-old profession, the conversation flowed to a more personal area where Akram expressed experience of disrespect (zillat) he and his kin have faced throughout the course of their life, during which I suspect happened an incident that was the cause for his physical deformity- a subject I thought too sensitive to bring up. The highlight of my experience with Akram and his nephew who was on the tabla was when my friends and I joined Akram s Qawwali with our non-traditional western instruments and sang and played Ali kay naqsh-e-qadam in harmony with them. It was a song that praised Ali (R.A) and how the governance principles he practiced and created were the foundation of modern doctrines (usool). His rhythmic harmonium paired with an acoustic guitar both repeating an F-sharp note in time with the tabla and the power of Akram s vocal chords sent me, a characteristically nonreligious person, into what I can describe as a momentary freedom which allowed my soul to breathe. Those moments were what I imagine an out of body experience to be where my physical surroundings were no more a concern of mine but the only thing running through my mind was how I did not want to stop. I found myself not 112

4 only reluctant but to some extent physically unable to stop. Case Study #3: The Sinful Lamb Through the marshes and tepid soil of Punjab, a single cannabis plant seduces a young man of 18 who found relief in his new friend and left all ties of family and kinship in his smoky wake. His time alone with his new companion was cut short for he found a new family in a Lahore group of soul Qawwali singers. Through this band of strangers, Saleem our young lamb found a direction and a new mistress in his life that broadened his horizons. Learning the ways of the Sufi group of men, he found within himself a soul that ached to worship and devote himself to a higher power and as such felt like he finally belonged. His first love now side-tracked but ever present, Saleem came to Islamabad to the shrine of Bari Imam and found his mystic haven. Minor bumps along the way included imprisonment for brief periods of time for possession and loyalty to Cannabis. His fellowship although limited in worldly resources was the richest of men in the realm of spirituality and mysticism. He learned from them new ways to solidify his love for Ali (R.A) his disciples and other devotees in the form of the harmonium and the tabla which harmonised his vocal worship even more. The rituals he learned, the songs he belted out became a part of him, as natural and comfortable as breathing. This was all initially foreign to him having no such spiritual or Sufi lineage he was the odd one of his family and thus left to find his transcendent family. Friends became brothers, mentors became fathers and our young sinful lamb was lost no more. Residing in Khanna Pul he roams the streets expressing his wild devotion through his Godgifted melodious vocal chords, never asking for money but accepting whatever he is offered. Some days going home with a full roasted chicken others embracing slumber with a gurgling belly. His voice and his love for Ali his only source for worldly income. His white hat atop his skeletal frame was the least of his physical eccentricities for his hands flailed about in random yet somehow patterned movements emphasising everything he expressed sevenfold. His life although a cornucopia of uncertainty and distress to the common eye, our young lamb is right at home, content and dare I say happier than most of us who reside in mansions the size of palaces compared to how he lives. Saleem is the embodiment of the notion that one s inner self is what matters when it comes to true happiness, not physical and monetary reserves like so many of us believe. To this day, I search the streets near where I first heard his captivating voice singing Mera Piya ghar aya (My sweetheart s come home) but to no avail. I have an abundance of curiosity to satiate but the Sinful Lamb eludes me. CONCLUSION Traditional Qawwals continue to live a simple life ruling the streets and pursuing their beliefs. In clear words, this is where they belong. These Qawwals are determined to move ahead, their lives predestined and shaped to continue a legacy. Their devotion to Sufism festers within their hearts despite their daunting circumstances. What is it that attracts us to their voices, giving us a chance to witness the divine world of mysticism? Most of us would find ourselves tangled in a world of mysteries while for them it s the kalam and the beauty of Islam, the messengers and the Sufi saints which make them alive. They live in that tranquility whereas for a common person Hash and Alcohol sometimes do the trick which fly them to their universe. The moment of ecstasy are short lived, the levels of trance gradually decline and yet we fail to realize that these carriers of knowledge deserve a lot more. These people however lacking the basics of necessities battle their way to strive in this world with the spirit of Sufism in their veins (ragain). The aim of this paper was to view how these Qawwals live, how they breathe, and how they perceive the world around them. It was found that they are just like other human beings playing their cards in a unique way, some doing it for the sake of monetary reasons, others preserving and maintaining the great legacy of their forefathers, while for some it was hope or an escape from their muddled minds. The aspect of commercialization, the transition and transformation of Qawwali from a sacred ritual to entertainment was also studied as a role player in influencing the lives of these traditional carriers of knowledge. Interviews and observations 113

5 conducted stated that indigenous and imported elements fused in this art of mystic union with god do not affect the verses and poetry of Qawwali. However, it was observed that there was a significant effect on the lifestyles of these traditional Qawwals who were distant from the globalized cultures of fusing music. They have a different lifestyle when compared to those Qawwals who have been given bigger platforms to showcase their talents. The varying lifestyles of the different Qawwals that were studied in this study support the notion that despite apparent differences, these people and their perceptions are inspired by the Sufi philosophy. This mysticism is what serves as the cornerstone of their beliefs. There is an urge for platforms that provide recognition to these traditional street runners. The lack of structures is to be blamed as these Qawwals have vowed to pass the message of the mystics to wider audiences if given a chance. There is a need for government and institutional interference for the betterment of the under shadowed Qawwals who are lingering on the roads in search of a livelihood. Adhering to the strict rules of Qawwali, there was a constant stress on the importance of the purification of the heart, mind, and soul just as a devotee would do while in prayer. The robust and unique voices of these Qawwals continue to cater audiences to fulfill their moments of ecstasy and escape from worldly affairs. REFERENCES Rabbani, Wahid Bakhsh 2005 Islamic Sufism. Lahore Pakistan: Al-faisal Nashran. Sakata, Hiromi Lorraine 1994 The Sacred and the Profane: Qawwâlî Represented in the Performances of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The World of Music. Publication Date: May The Explorer Islamabad Journal of Social Sciences-Pakistan 114

Sama: A Mystical Evening of Sufi Music 17 th December, :00 pm onwards At Y.B. Chavan Auditorium, Nariman Point Mumbai

Sama: A Mystical Evening of Sufi Music 17 th December, 2011 7:00 pm onwards At Y.B. Chavan Auditorium, Nariman Point Mumbai Project Report Prepared by Sufi Kathak Foundation J-237, Basement, Saket, New