Adil Najam
This post was originally posted on October 19, 2006. It is being reposted with the addition of some new Qawali video clips.
As I was driving back from work tonight, I had an old Sabri Brothers cassette playing in my car. The window was down, the sound was loud. As I stopped at a red light, my head still nodding to the rhythms, I noticed that the American woman in the car parked next to me was staring at me with a rather perplexed look (Bostonians don’t often get to hear the Sabri bradraan!). She shouted over the music to ask me what type of music this was and from where. I smiled and told her. I am not sure if she heard what I said over the noise because the light turned green just then and we went our different ways.
I guess she left wondering what the beat and sound was about. I left wondering what has happening to qawalli in Pakistan today? Who are the big names out there? Are there any? Is there any Ghulam Farid Sabri, Aziz Mian, Nusrat Fateh Ali equivalent out there? I know of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, but he seems to be mostly re-rendering Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s work. Who else?
I was a qawalli fan while I was still in school; long before there was a Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and long before it was kool to be a qawalli fan. I don’t know why I was a fan; no one else around me was. I guess the beat was enticing, the stories interesting, and the qawals colorful. I suspect that those around me thought it was rather odd that I liked qawalli so much; but then, people around me have always considered me odd!
This was the era when the Sabri Brothers Qawall and Aziz Mian Qawall were at the peak of their prowess. They were both major innovators of the qawalli genre.
I guess I like qawalli for the same reason I like Johnny Cash and Waris Shah. They all have great stories to tell. And what could be more enticing than a good beat combined with a good story!
I found this video clip of this Sabri Brothers Qawall
And while we are at it here is a clip of a classical Aziz Mian performance:
MQ, I will wait for a response from my friend iFaqeer on this, since I am curious about his usage.
On the line, ‘Haq Bahu, baisahaq Bahu’, I am assuming – Naveed, am I correct – that it is probably about or from Sultan Bahu.
Also, I wanted to thank you belatedly for that wonderful message earlier about your experience with teh American wiating staff and their reaction to qawalli, especially at the point of ‘naubat baajay’… which is an amazing moment in that particular rendition for anyone…
[quote comment=”4773″]”Haq, bahu! Bashak, bahu!!” [/quote]
Dear iFaqeer,
I have noticed that you made the above comment a couple of times on different posts. It sounds nice but I don’t know what exactly it means. I am curious. I have also seen this written on the back of the buses in Pakistan. Is it some kind of a mystic chant or what? Who is Bahu? Some sufi saint? Could you, would you please explain it a little bit. Thanks.
Just like many others, I was also introduced to Qawwali by parents and PTV. Now that I am not in Pakistan, my mom diligently watched the Qawwali at Sehri time to remember me sitting in front of TV every night, singing along.
One question: My grandparents used to live in the PECHS area of Karachi. In the evenings on Wednesday, a Qawwal with a harmonium hung around his neck would walk the streets, singing sufi kalam. He would be given some money by those listening. Is that common still, and in other parts of the country? What are its historic roots?
Having listened to a lot of Bhajans,the only similarity I find between Bhajans and Qawali is the religious content. Followers of all religions in some form or the other adapted to specific musical genres to communicate devotion.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has carried on the tradition. The All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC Karachi Chapter) holds regular concerts featuring Qawali both in their annual festival as well as solo acts
Haq, bahu! Bashak, bahu!!