The renowned quawwali exponent Ustad Farid Ayaz and his team consisting of master vocalist Ustad Abu Mohammed as well as ten other singers and percussionists led the audience on an energy packed spiritual journey on May 16 at the home of sound engineer Jawed Wahid in Framingham, Mass. In a dozen raga based compositions ranging from Bhairav to Bhairavi, the artists weaved in elements of classical music with the heart touching poetry of legendary poets such as Amir Khusro, Ghulam Fareed and Bulleh Shah in languages such as Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi. The highlight of the program was enthusiastic drumming by the sons of Farid Ayaz, rhythmic clapping and spirited singing by several young members of the chorus group that succeded in transporting the audience to experience great heights of devotional fervor.

Ustads Farid Ayaz and Abu Mohammed are Karchi, Pakistan based torch bearers of a lineage that spans 26 generations of quawwali singers belonging to the Chishtiyya order of Sufi saints. Over a span of four or five decades, these master musicians have developed fine skills to create an atmosphere of intense intimacy and emotional release through their singing, poetry recitation, story-telling and call and response techniques.

Even though the performance was on a weekday, the music hall was packed with over 100 listeners. With the words “Shuroo Karein” (Shall we begin?) by Ustad Farid Ayaz and the response of the audience “Bismillah”, the communication between the performers and the audience as well as their shared journey to commune with the divine, began. The metallic timbre of hands coming together to clap in unison, the sound of two harmoniums and twelve male voices of varying sonic textures uttering the long tonic note Sa was followed by a quawwali that spoke about the difficulties of sustenance of love over a long period of time “Bahut kathin hai dagar panghat ki, ub kaise bhur laaoon madwa se matki” started the evening’s fare on a high note.

Themes of love, separation from the beloved, the loss of intensity in attraction and love over a period of time were expressed through timeless favorites such as Chaap tilak sub chcheeni re mose naina milaayeke .(You've taken away my looks, my identity, by just a mere glance), Mera piya ghur aaya (Celebrat, for my beloved has arrived), Meri maili gudariya dho de saabir (Please wash away my sins, dear master),Bazeecha-e-itfal hai duniya meray aage, Hota hai shab-o-roz tamasha meray aage (The world is a children’s playground before me; Night and Day, this theatre is enacted before me), Ali Imam-e-Manasto Manam Ghulaam-e-Ali, Hazaar Jaan-e-Giraamii Fidaa-e-Naam-e-Ali (Ali is the master of all; I am the slave of Ali, Thousands of lives are to be sacrificed for Ali) and Taajdaar-e-haram Ho Nigaah-e-karam , Hum Ghareebon K Din Bhi Sanwar Jayengay( Bless us, the unfortunate, Oh Almighty).

It was heartwarming to see youngsters participate in the exercise of preserving the several hundred year old tradition of Quawwali singing through the medium of Hindustani classical music. The two Ustads actively modeled for the younger disciples aspects such as sur lagaav, improvisatory alaap, bol-alaap, tan, bol-taan, ornamentation, modulation of voice, and the manner of impactful delivery of the composition.

|