The Echoes of Nizami Qawwali the Aura of Auliya !
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! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! ! The Echoes of Nizami Qawwali The Aura of Auliya ! ! ! !DISCOVER INDIA PROGRAM 2015-2016 ! ! ! CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the work incorporated in this report entitled “The Echoes of Nizami Qawwali” submitted by the undersigned Research Team was carried out under my mentorship. Such material as has been obtained from other sources has been duly acknowledged. Sr. No. NAME OF THE DESIGNATION SIGNATURE STUDENT 1 Deepak Ramakrishna Group Leader/ Finance 2 Rhea L Nath Content Writer 3 Ahana Sirohi Content Writer 4 Simran Taneja Content Writer 5 Tanya Poonawala Content Writer 6 Rishabh Juneja Audio/Visual Documentation 7 Anavi Someshwar Audio/Visual Documentation 8 Isabella Koshy Audio/Visual Documentation 9 Fathima Husain Creative Team 10 Neil Bhatija Finance 11 Anant Bondre Logistics 12 Prithviraj Pandit Logistics Name of the Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vahideh Razmi Signature: Date: ! ii! ! Contents 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..1 1.1 Historical, Geographical and Sociocultural Context………………………….....3 1.1.1 Historical Context…………………………………………………….3 1.1.2 Geographical Context………………………………………………...3 1.1.3 Sociocultural Context………………………………………………...3 1.2 Research Statement…..………………………………………………………….5 1.3 Aims and Objectives…………………………………………………………......6 1.4 Qawwali Kyun? (Rationale)……………………………………………………..8 1.5 Scope of Research………………………………………………………………..9 1.6 Qawwali Kaise? (Research Methodology) …………………………………….10 1.6.1 Sources of Data Collection…………………………………………10 1.6.2 Qualitative Research………………………………………………..11 1.6.3 Sampling……………………………………………………………12 1.6.4 Instruments of Data Collection……………………………………..15 1.6.5 Limitations of the Study………………………………………..…..17 1.7 Themes and Limitations of Research…………………………………………..18 2. Review of Literature………………………………………………………………..20 2.1 Sufi Roots and the Origin of Qawwali……………………………………….…….20 2.2 History and Context………………………………………………………….……..22 2.3 Essential Elements of the Qawwali Occasion……………………………….……...23 2.4. Audience Participation and the Importance of the Dargah………………….……….25 2.5 Essence and Purpose of Qawwali…………………………………………....……..26 2.6 The Role of the Female Voice………………………………………………...……28 2.7 Contemporary Adaptations in the 21st Century…………………………………….30 3. Qawwali ki Kaifiyat: The Distinct Nature of Qawwali………………………..…...33 3.1 Sufi Roots and the Origin of Qawwali………………………………….………….33 3.2 History and Context………………………………………………………………..36 3.3 Dissection of the Qawwali Assembly……………………………………..……….40 3.3.1 Essential Elements of a Qawwali Performance……………………………...40 3.3.1.1 Context of Qawwali………………………………….……………40 3.3.1.2 The Language of Qawwali………………………………………...41 3.3.1.3 The Audience Component of Qawwali……………………………42 3.3.1.4 The Structure of the Qawwali Performance………………………43 3.3.1.5 The Deportment Maintained in a Qawwali Assembly……………44 3.3.2 Audience Participation and the Importance of the Dargah…………………………48 3.3.2.1 The Dargah…………………………………………………………...……48 3.3.2.2 Behaviour in the Dargah……………………………………………….….48 3.3.2.3 The Audience………………………………………………………..……..49 3.3.2.4 Contemporary Times…………………………………………...………….50 3.3.3 The Essence of Nizami Qawwali…………………………………………….…..52 ! iii! ! 3.3.3.1 Purpose of Qawwali………………………………………………….…….52 3.3.3.2 Purpose of the Qawwal…………………………………………………….54 3.3.3.3 Importance of Language…………………………………………………...55 3.3.3.4 What They Sing About………………………………………………….....56 3.3.3.5 The Trance………………………………………………………………...59 3.3.4 The Role of the Female Voice…………………………………………………...61 3.3.4.1 Involvement of Women in the Nizami Tradition………………………….61 3.3.4.2 The Feminization of Qawwali……………………………………….…….62 3.3.5 Traditions in Qawwali…………………………………………………………...64 3.3.5.1 Birthday Celebrations……………………………………………………..64 3.3.5.2 Urs……………………………………………………………………………….68 3.3.5.3 Basant………………………………………………………………………………69 4. Qawwali ki Kaifiyat: Contemporary Adaptations in the 21st Century……………..73 4.1 Contemporary Adaptations of Practitioners of Qawwali…………………………..73 4.1.1 Pawan Naik………………………………………………………………..…73 4.1.2 The Wadali Brothers…………………………………………………………75 4.1.3 Dhruv Sangari………………………………………………………………..76 4.2 Contemporary Adaptations in Bollywood………………………………………….77 4.2.1 Khwaja Mere Khwaja……………………………………………….…………78 4.2.2 Kun Faya Kun…………………………………………………………………….....80 4.3 Survival of Qawwali……………………………………………………………….80 5. Qawwali Khatam (Conclusion)…………………………………………………….83 Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………..I Appendix……………………………………………………………………………....III Glossary of Terms……………………………………………………………………..VI ! iv! ! Acknowledgments Undertaking a professional undergraduate research project such as the Discover India Program is quite a daunting task and it would not have been possible without the continuous aid and guidance of numerous individuals. We would first like to extend our deepest thanks to the Vice Chancellor of FLAME University, Prof Devi Singh, for this opportunity. India is a land of rich culture and tradition and it is empowering to know that we, in the smallest way, have contributed to its documentation for posterity through this scholarly program. Next, we would like to thank Prof. Neeti Bose for taking on the responsibility of chairing this year’s Discover India Program and leading this intensive project from the front. It appeared a herculean task in the beginning, but her open-door policy assured that we always had a helping hand at every step along the way. We would also like to thank the DIP Committee for their constant guidance over the past year. The knowledge shared in the DIP classes and countless interactions outside the classes provided us with the information necessary to take on this project confidently. Next, the existing belief that prior planning is only half the battle won was proved correct by the hard- working members of the FLAME University administration, for our project would not have been possible without their diligent execution. Both on-campus and on-field, they provided us with the necessary backbone to carry out this project successfully. On-field, we were blessed to have made the acquaintance of the Sufi Kathak Organisation. We wholeheartedly thank Ms. Manjari Chaturvedi and Mr. Amit Mehra of the organisation for their relentless support. We would also like to thank the following individuals for agreeing to meet us through the organisation and share their in-depth knowledge: Prof. Kumkum Srivastava, Prof. Vinay Srivastava, Mr. Dinesh Khanna, Shri Dhruv Sangari, Prof. Prof Saiyid Zaheer Hussain Jafri and Prof. Aleem Ashraf Khan. We would also like to thank Mr. Yousuf Saeed of the Ektara Organisation, Ms. Sadia Dehlvi and Ms. Mehru Jaffer for their invaluable insights. We are greatly indebted to the performers at the dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya, who allowed us to interview them and watch their performance. Moreover, this project would have been incomplete without the involvement of the Nizami Qawwals themselves, Mr. Saqlain Nizami and Mr. Ghulam Nizami. They were kind enough to not only allow but aid us in researching the tradition of Nizami Qawwali that shapes their family history. Without their support, this project would not have come into fruition. Additionally, an important aspect of our research was researching the modern adaptations of Nizami Qawwali. This would have been impossible without the aid of the following practitioners who graciously share their inputs: Ms. Shubha Mudgal, Mr. Puranchand Wadali, Mr. Pyarelal Wadali and Mr. Pawan Naik. We thank them profusely for their graciousness in helping us understanding the musical tradition that they perform so well. Finally, our research project would have never taken off without the watchful eye of our mentors, Prof. Vahideh Razmi and Prof. Sonam Mansukhani. They have devoted a tremendous amount of time and energy into this project and words cannot express our gratitude. Despite our countless emails, calls at odd hours of the day and incessant questions, not once did they reject our requests for assistance. There are very few aspects of our research that could’ve taken place without their aid. Professors, we are incredibly thankful for your presence in this project. It would not have been half as successful, half as informative and more importantly, half as enjoyable without you. Last but not least, a special thanks to Mayanka Dadu for agreeing to let us use his beautiful poetry. You are an incredible artist and we are so thankful for your support. ! v! ! Abstract The dargah (tomb) of Nizamuddin Auliya, the fourth of the four most prominent Chishti Sufi saints of India, has a history of great prestige and fame. Emanating from this dargah is Nizami Qawwali, a religious praxis that uses music as a vehicle on which to recite devotional poetry. It is distinct for its practice by the progeny of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and his mentee, renowned poet Amir Khusrau. Performances are undertaken by groups of singers known as Qawwals. They are accompanied by the tabla, the dhol, the harmonium and the clapping of hands. Qawwali is an invocation of the Divine and a means of spiritual advancement for the Sufi participant. Historically, Qawwali was introduced to the Indian subcontinent by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. From then on, it blossomed to become one of the most prolific Sufi traditions of the country. It exists to serve the representation of mystical poetry by propagating the message of love, brotherhood and acceptance. Nizami Qawwali emphasizes these qualities and arouses mystical emotion in a spiritual gathering. In recent years, Qawwali has escaped the dargah