Qawwali

Qawwali is a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing, originating from the Indian subcontinent, and notably popular in the Punjab and Sindh regions of Pakistan; in Hyderabad, Delhi, and other parts of India, especially North India; as well as the Dhaka and Chittagong Divisions of Bangladesh.

Deriving its name from the Arabic word qaul, meaning "to speak," qawwali is a musical vehicle by which a group of male musicians—called qawwals—delivers inspirational Sufi messages to a traditionally male assembly of devotees. A typical qawwali ensemble consists of one or two lead vocalists; a chorus of hand-clapping qawwals who sing the refrains; a harmonium (a small, hand-pumped, portable organ) player, who supports the fixed melody as well as the melodic improvisations of the soloist; and a percussionist, who articulates the metric framework using a dholak (double-headed drum) or a tabla (a pair of single-headed drums).

Qawwali takes place in the context of a mehfil-e samaʿ, a "gathering for [spiritual] listening." The most significant of these gatherings take place in Sufi shrines on the anniversary of the death of the saint who is associated with the shrine. Lesser mehfil-e samāʿ are held throughout the year on Thursdays, when Muslims remember the deceased, or on Fridays, the day of prayer. Qawwali performances may also be arranged to offer spiritual nourishment on other special occasions.