he onset of Ramazan unleashes all kinds of musical renderings that have a more link to religion. The media, in particular, is full of qaawalis, kalam and other recitations that are supposed to be based on the texts with some religious or quasi-religious dispensation.

On the arrival of Islam in the subcontinent, certain sections in the population opposed the ruling out of music, and instead went about creating an environment where it could be nurtured.

The names of certain sufis are mentioned more than the others, while no firm basis is advanced on their role, whether it was more than the provision of patronage or the overarching defence to protect in physical and intellectual terms the attacks from different quarters.

Recently, the urs of Usman Marwandi, popularly known as Shahbaz Qalander, was held in Sehwan. This is the site of the one of the biggest congregations of musicians in the country. People throng to the festival as do the musicians who offer their musical renderings to a crowd that is charged and receptive. Similarly, the urs at Bhit Shah is an occasion for the people to gather in huge numbers and pay their homage through music.

Shah Lateef was probably the only sufi who wrote about music and actually went into the theoretical and practical aspects of the art like a present-day musicologist. In the Punjab, both Shah Hussain and Bulleh Shah are sung widely and have been set to musical score. The tradition has been vibrant and has remained so despite many ups and down over the centuries. Other poets with sufic credential like Khwaja Freed are sung as their urs festivals too becomes a rallying point for the musicians and vocalists to perform to a wider public.

It has generally been the case that the Chistia Sufis offered patronage to music, the principal personage among them being Nizamuddin Aulia. However, his role in creating music, its patronage and propagation have not really been explored.

Actually, these have not been touched upon and he is believed only to have opened his doors to his disciples, among them, Amir Khusro, usually credited with the creation of the music form, qawwali.

Amir Khusro is credited with the creation of not only qawwali but also a host of other forms like the kheyal, qalbana, tarana, manqabat naqsh, tirvat etc besides introducing many existing ragas. Then there are many bandishes that carry pseudonyms like Deeni Baksh, Mehboob-i-Ilahi, Nijamuddin Aulia, Nijam Kay Bal Bal Jaon, that are attributed to his mentor. They are still sung or played by musicians across the length and breadth of the subcontinent and the diaspora which is now spread in the four corners of the world.

He is also credited with the creation of sitar and tabla and introducing many taals and bols of the tabla and the baaj of the sitar.

Another sufi whose shrine is a hub of musicians is Mueenuddin Chisti in Ajmer. His urs too attracts hundreds of thousands of people. He is also the patron saint of many musicians. Pseudonyms apparently relating to him are found in many of the bandishes that are still sung by musicians all over the subcontinent.

On the occasion of the urs and as well as every Thursday, the shrine of Ali Hajwari, popularly known as Data Sahib, becomes a site of musical performances.

Generally, the reason advanced is in terms of apology. That the people here were so accustomed to musical expression that these sufis sought to use it as an aid to catch the attention of the people and through it to spread the message. If the Sufis, particularly the Chistis, thought that music was essential for their acceptance of their worldview, then their role in it could not only have been passive or one of a reluctant patron.

It must have been something that was fully accepted and done with conviction to serve a larger cause. It is generally said that the musicians are as good as their patrons’ taste. These sufis must be the bearer of good taste. The musicians therefore had to live up to the high quality expected of them by the patron. There is a need to look into the basis of this good taste and their nurturing of it. Their understanding of music might have gone beyond passive hearing. Perhaps, they were active participants in music making as well.

The writer is a culture critic based in Lahore.