Sama- A Qawwali Concert. Performed by Qawwals from Awadh
Sufi Kathak Foundation presents, ‘Sama: A mystical evening of Qawwali’ an annual concert for the first time in Mumbai, is the Sufi way of active meditation, in a state moving trance. The listeners will be captivated with the music of the Qawwals who surrender themselves in praise of the Almighty. The listeners are left possessed by the purity of the music and the lyrics of the Sufis. The devotion to the Divine lies in the simplicity of the words used in the Sufi Poetry. The 700 year old Sufi Tradition is revived and relived through the age old compositions in the divine praise of the Lord, ranging from Hazrat Ali to Lord Krishna, sung in the soulful tunes of the Qawwals, from Awadh.
This concert is a part of one of the initiatives, ‘The Qawwali Project’ taken up by our organization, Sufi Kathak Foundation.
The Qawwali Project
‘The Qawwali Project’ is an initiative developed by the Sufi Kathak Foundation to preserve the 700 year old tradition of Sufi and Qawwali Music that spreads across the Indian Subcontinent, as a unifying spiritual force connecting man to the almighty. It seeks to bridge the gap between tradition on one hand, and the evolving society on the other, by documenting the music and the self narrated stories of the Qawwals in their lived reality.
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Qawwali music a cultural ideal emulated in practice. It imbibes within itself, elements from both Hindu and Islamic culture, which have uniquely fused together to develop what is practiced as its present form, rightfully representing the essence of „unity in diversity? of India. It is because of this universal appeal and blended elements of Indian classical music and Sufi traditions that Qawwali has often served as a mechanism to promote communal harmony, and unity between the Hindu and Muslim communities in India.
The Qawwals face a threat of survival, as the practice of traditional Qawwali is not sustaining enough, compelling these talented musicians to opt for other vocations, such as carpenters, auto rickshaw drivers, peons etc. This has impacted the survival of this traditional art form, leaving no or few successors behind for the further practice and continuity of Qawwali music. Through this project we hope to provide the musicians and the people associated with this art form suitable opportunities and support to ensure the continuation of Qawwali in future.
