Qawwali and the Folk Festivals

Musical Performances on Mystical Poetry

Abstract

Musical performances of Sufi poetry generally known as Qawwali are very famous in Pakistan, moreover, in the southern part of the province of Punjab, which is the hub of prolific saints and poets, Sufi folk festivals are also commemorated to a great extent where local singers and intellectuals present Sufi poetry for religious ecstasy and the propagation of Sufi philosophy as well. This article expresses the recent position and penetration of Sufi music among the devotees focusing on the religious ideology and practices of Islam. This research is based on fieldwork and critical analysis of mainstream Urdu and English newspapers’ website reports regarding Qawwali programs and Sufi folk festivals. The findings illustrate that the performance of Sufi poetry with music arouses mystical love, and establishes spiritual autonomy over the mundane world by describing the reality of the God and spiritual sovereignty of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Sufi saints.