Electrifying performances of qawals at PNCA

Islamabad: Noted Qawals enthralled audience here at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) with electrifying performances.

The Qawali Night was part of the PNCA's seven-day National Music Festival. Qawals spellbound the audience with the skilful rendition of the poems of Sufis and poets.

Ustad Joji Ali Khan took the listeners in the land of complete ecstasy with his qawali “Tu Kuja Mann Kuja’, ‘Mera Piya Gher Aya’ and Dhamal, while Nadeem Jamil & Group recited hamd ‘Allah Hoo Allah Hoo’, Naat ‘Is Karam Ka Karoon Shukar’, ‘Dama Dam Must Qalandar’ and ‘Mere Rashkey Qamar’.

Akhtar Sharif Sabir Hussain recited Naat ‘Kiya Rukhay Syed Abrar Hai Allah Allah’ and ‘Iss saay Rakh Kam Zindi Bher Ali Ali Ker’, Shahzad Santoo Khan ‘Maan Kuntum Maula’ and ‘Mein Jana Jogi day Nal’, Tanveer Salamat Noushai ‘Baitha Hai Farsh Nazar Arsh-e-Bareen per’, ‘Shah-e-Mardan-ae-Ali’ and ‘Qismat Ka Sikander Hoon’ making the night memorable for a large crowd of Qawali lovers from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

PNCA Director General Syed Jamal Shah said sufis had played a significant role in creating harmony and peace in their times and their teaching needed to be followed. He said to be a qawal, one must be willing to release one's mind and soul from one's body to achieve ecstasy through music.

“Qawali is enlightenment itself. The lines and verses which come out from the qawal’s soul directly reach yours and stir your mind and soul,” he said.

Jamal Shah said Qawali was the devotional music of the Chishti Sufis. He said Qawali received international exposure through the work of the Sabri brothers in 1975, late Bakhshi Salamat, Aziz Mian, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.