Music beyond borders...

"Char Chirag tere balan hamesha, Panjwan mein balan aayi piya julhelalan…" As Fareed Ayaz al Hussaini and Brothers invoked the radiance of the winter moon, with their voices leaving thumbprints in the hearts of their listeners, it seemed the Sufis of the bygone era- those incessantly obsessed lovers of the divine- had possessed them and charged the atmosphere- with audience members experiencing wajad. Belonging to the pir-Muridi tradition, the brothers claim lineage to the first disciple of Hazrat Amir Khusro. And just as well, Qawwali has been in the family for nearly eight centuries.

Passionately sung lines such as , "Bulleh Shah ne Kuj nai kita, yaar nu kita raji" , regaled audience as many cheered and clapped spontaneously, including this writer. The magic of a true Qawwal lies in mesmerizing the listener so much that he/she cannot stop himself/herself from expressing his/her joy through dance. Perhaps that happens when there is a mystical ( roohani) experience. Personally speaking, qawaali, which belongs to the Chisti order of Sufis, is equal to Gurbani Kirtan or Bhajans in its quest for divine. More so, with their use of local dialects and socio-cultural motifs, Qawwals always had a way of perforating the most hardened souls with their singing. Hussaini brothers knew it too well!



Probably the best bet of Delhi Tourism in recent times at Dilli Haat, this group, presented by Seher, charmed their way through the hearts of the listeners rendering some of the best known Qawwalis-ranging from the works of Amir Khusro, Shah Latif, Bulleh Shah and from the Sufi folk tradition. The most interesting of these, were Hussaini Brothers' rendering of Khusro's Kalam, especially certain verses never heard by the audience before. Taking creative liberty, the brothers fused the Kalam of different poets, basing such numbers on the inherent common theme.

Their fervent rendering, incisive grip over the subject and crisp introductions before every piece ( the duo stressed that Qawwali is the point of origin for thumri, dadra etc, not known to this writer before) made for an enriching mix of music and information! The icing on cake was towards the end, when the audience's claps matched with Qawaals' drums and string instruments. A few members of the audience got up and started dancing making it one of the most lively evenings witnessed at a Qawwali concert in last few months.

As one watched the Pakistani group regale the Indian audience, there was little doubt that music can easily erase the shadow lines that distinguish the two countries. Interestingly so, the Qawwals belonged to the Dilli Gharana and took pride in saying that in Pakistan, they are known as Dilli Wale. Apart from singing in Urdu and Hindi, the group also renders Qawwali in Arabic and Persian.

The group was in India to hold preliminary meetings regarding the upcoming International Qawaali Festival in Delhi being spearheaded by Seher in February, 2007.