The History of Qawwali as tweeted on #shair 19th May 2012

Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Qawwali is ONLY a WAY of REMEMBERING God. #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Qawwali is a way of remembering God.Qawwals have been accused of stretching their imaginations.Orthodox oppose that #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Qawwali Lyrics are from Islamic scripture, hadees, sayings of Sahabaas with lyrical variations #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Adnan Adnan ‏@oongalbaaz
#Qawwali is basically the dictums of the Saint/s, Imam/s, Prophet/s and praises of God. #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair



Adnan Adnan ‏@oongalbaaz
The word #Qawwali is derived from the Arabic word "Qaol" which means 'Axiom' or 'Dictum'.. #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music popular in South Asia & its history goes back more than 700 years #HistoryOfQawwali #shair


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
State of repetition induces trance(haal),exporting people in mystical world.Experienced by own's action,(dance etc) #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Once meaning is understood. The repetition is done in chorus until the meaning is not important anymore #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair



Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
During Qawwali certain couplets are repeated with various notes. Mesmerizing the audience and touching their souls #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Mystical couplets, in farsi or arabic (similar to Sufi words) are most common during Alap #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
During Alap, the Mohri uses his expertise of different notes, capturing the audience who are in complete silence. #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Saagar Saagar ‏@_Saagar
Traditional Qawwals used to sit under big and old tree, gathering audience. And get to action. #HistoryOfQawwali #shair


Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Qawwali shares with mystical Islam the belief that religious knowledge is not only acquired through rigour and austerity #historyOfQawwali


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Alap is a delicate stage where the absence of rhythm also sets the atmosphere #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Qawwali starts with alap, i.e., without percussion or rhythm, and a mystical couplet is sung #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
The pleasure given by music is something that only madmen, the insensitive, and the hard of heart do not experience #historyOfQawwali
The cause of these states (ahwal) that invade the heart when one is hearing music is the secret of God Most High #historyOfQawwali


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Chorus singers are flanked right and left of the Mohri. Better singers up front #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair
Master singer or Mohri (leading chess figure) sits in the centre,Tabalchi behind him,Prompter behind left shoulder #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair
Traditionally the Qawwals performed at the same level as the audience. No stage. #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair
Instruments : Dholak(two-sided drum),Tabla(drum pair) with Tari(clapping) and harmonium are used. #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair
Traditionally there used to be 11 (or odd numbers) Qawwali performers which is not practised anymore. #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair



Ashish Jog Ashish Jog ‏@AshishJog
I understand that d fundamentalists (Aurangzeb to Talibans) believe that music is against the religion. #HistoryOfQawwali


Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Traditionally, the qawwal performed at the same level as the audience and needed no stage.Just a white sheet (chaandni) #HistoryOfQawwali
Since ultimate goal of qawwali is2take audience in2 trance (sama) proximity&interaction was needed: dancing,haal etc #HistoryOfQawwali
Modernity has taken it 2 a stage with PA system but in Dargah of Nizamuddin its performed in the old fashioned way #HistoryOfQawwali
The qawwali starts with the alap, i.e., without percussion or rhythm, and a mystical couplet is sung. #HistoryOfQawwali
The alap is a delicate stage where the absence of rhythm also sets the atmosphere.Alap is heard in total silence #HistoryOfQawwali
While the performers r in alap stage,they're closely examining audience 4response &looking 4 sensitized individuals/grp #HistoryOfQawwali
Gathering momentum,qawwal launch themselves into main body of qawwali, in.wh rhythm is introduced with a moderate tempo #HistoryOfQawwali
tempo is slowly increased &audience carefully watched.Any line that touches audience is repeated fervently2 induce trance #HistoryOfQawwali


Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
first2 take into account the relation between music and trance were the Brothers of Purity (lkhwan al-safa),in AI-Sasra #HistoryOfQawwali

The tradition of Qawwali has had numerous ups and downs. One particularly hard time was during the reign of Aurangzeb #HistoryOfQawwali


Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya sent2teach Delhi populace acquired a reputation 4using music in his orthodox Islamic elements #HistoryOfQawwali


Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
the Chisti school of Sufismhas been responsible 4propagation of qawwali in India and Pakistan for then last few centuries #HistoryOfQawwali




Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
There is a very specific psychological process which a qawwali follows. One starts with the singing of the song #HistoryOfQawwali #shair
In this psychological state song is received in a manner that is not unlike standard forms of musical expression. #HistoryOfQawwali #shair
The wordsr sung,repeatedly with variations intended2bring out the different aspects and deeper means of the lyrics #HistoryOfQawwali #shair
repetition is 2extent that words cease2have meaning;ideally participant is moved2state of spiritual enlightenment (fana) #HistoryOfQawwali




Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Qoran instructs man 2remember God-dhikr,wh may be silent of vocal. qawwali mayb seen as extension of its vocal form #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Sufism and qawwali are inextricably bound tog, so giving a bit on that #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Sufism is mystical school of Islamic thought wh strives2attain truth &divine love by direct personal experience #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Started in Farsi for its rich tradition of mysticism became popular with Islam in http://S.Asia #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair


Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
The prime themes of qawwali are love, devotion and longing (of man for the Divine) #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Qawali lyrics r implicitly understood 2b spiritual in meaning even tho sounds passionately secular/very hedonistic. #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
here is also qawwali in some regional languages like Chhote Babu Qawwal sings in Bengali #HistoryOfQawwali #shair


Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Khusrau trained a group of 12 elite youngsters in art of Qawwali.Later known as Qawwal Bachchay Gharana of Delhi #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair
Qawwal Bachchay’s descendants are still into Qawwali. Lineage of 600+ years. #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair
Cousins Munshi Raziuddin & Bahauddin of the Qawwal Bachchay separated in the ‘60s to form their own party #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair
Raziuddin is succeeded by sons Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad. Bahauddin’s sons are Najm Uddin Saif Uddin #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
there r songs in Persian, Brajbhasha and Siraiki but bulk is in Urdu &Punjabi, almost equally divided #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Amir Khusrau is credited with fusing Persian & Indian musical traditions to create Qawwali as we know today #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair



Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Roots of Qawwali can be traced back to 8th Century,Persia.Then known as Sama. Introduced to South Asia in 11th Cent #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair



Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Qur’an instructs to remember Allah, known as dhikr(zikr),silent or vocal. Qawwali is vocal remembrance of Allah #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair



Obaid Obaid ‏@demhadiabo
Qawwali is derived from the Arabic word 'Qaul' which means dictum (formal expression of opinion) #HistoryOfQawwali #Shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Word Qawwali means style of singing of Qawwls, Qaul (Arabic) is an "utterance (of the prophet)" #HistoryOfQawwali #shair
and Qawwal is someone who often repeats (sings) a Qaul #HistoryOfQawwali #shair
in the sub continent session of Qawwali is firmally called Mehfil-e-Sama #HistoryOfQawwali #shair
word Sama is often still used C.Asia and Turkey 2 refer to forms very close to Qawwali, #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Amir Khusro of Chisti order of Sufis is credited with fusing Persian&Indian musical traditions to create Qawwali #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
During first major migration from Persia, in 11thc, the musical tradition of Sema migrated 2the Indian subcontinent #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Godfather IV Godfather IV ‏@godfatheriv
Qawwali will be incomplete without the "Hum nava". #HistoryofQawwali #Shair




Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
The roots of Qawwali can be traced back to 8th century Persia. #HistoryOfQawwali #shair



Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
Qawwali is originally performed at Sufi shrines or dargahs throughout the subcontinent #HistoryOfQawwali #shair


Rana Safvi Rana Safvi ‏@iamrana
wajad,a trancelike state where they feel at one with God,supp 2b height of spiritual elation&ultimate goal inSufism #HistoryOfQawwali #shair
Qawwali,vibrant musical tradition, where often listeners,&even artists themselves r transported 2 a state of wajad, #HistoryOfQawwali #shair