‘Mausikaar’ treats patrons with a divine ‘qawali’ evening

Islamabad
There were not many people in the vast auditorium in the Sir Syed Academy here but those who were present must indeed be feeling lucky to be treated to a blissful ‘qawali’ performance by the well-known Bakhshi Javed Salamat group.
Mausikaar Welfare Trust was established by Dr Seema Khan and a group of dedicated patrons and supporters with the objective of protecting, preserving and promoting the different forms of classical and traditional music and singing. And as part of their efforts they organized the rare ‘qawali’ evening.
And the event was certainly a success. Leave out the fact that the settings were not suitable for a ‘qawali’ evening as the people were slumped in cushy, comfortable chairs instead of the traditional ‘farshi nishist’ (floor seating), otherwise it has everything a ‘qawali’ lover would be looking for.
The performance was impressive. The group, which has ample international exposure having at least 18 international tours and also having performed with the famous musician and song writer, Peter Gabriel, the Bakhshi Javed Salamat group has improvised the traditional ‘qawali’ while keeping its spirit very much alive and intact.
The group, led by Javed Salamat, the elder son of famous Bakhshi Salamat, took to the stage following formal introductions and instantly grabbed complete attention of the audience with the traditional rendition of Hazrat Amir Khusro’s ‘qaul’, ‘Man Kunto Maula’.
There were a few diplomats also present amongst the audience including the Bosnian ambassador to Islamabad. Though some of them were slightly irked because of the delay in start of the performance, but once it started they evidently enjoyed it and were profuse in their appreciation.
The next rendition was the ‘kalam’ of Sufi saint Hazrat Bulleh Shah, ‘Teray Ishq Nachaya’ before the group once again paid their respects to the legendary Hazrat Amir Khusro when they rendered yet another famous ‘qawali’ of his, ‘Chaap Talak Sab Cheen Li’. All of these very well rendered and appreciated by the audience.
But the one, ‘Toon Bol Bhawain Na Bol’, written by a modern Sufi poet, Ayub Aafi, gave a fresh touch. The ‘kalam’ by Ayub Aafi, the rendition by Javed Salamat, Nadeem Salamat and Masood Salamat and the composition made the presentation a truly enchanting one.
It was over 90 minutes performance and the audience remained glued to their seats and save a few who fell asleep in their seats, (the diplomat), the rest enjoyed the evening and absorbed the Sufi ‘kalam’ as well as the traditional ‘qawali’ music.
There were quite a few prominent personalities among the audience including the former Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Kamran Lashari, the former Executive Director of Lok Virsa, Uxi Mufti and some other.
Earlier, Dr Seema Khan spoke briefly about ‘Mausikaar’ and its objectives before introducing the group and set the evening rolling.