ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: Popular Qawwal groups here late Sunday mesmerised the audiences of twin cities with traditional Qawwalis to coincide with the holy month of Rabi-ul-Awal.

Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in collaboration with Ministry of National Heritage and Integration arranged the event “Qawwali ki Sham”.

The show invited the popular Qawwals of the country to federal capital to spread the message of peace, love and harmony and also preserve the traditional musical heritage of the subcontinent.

Qawwali is linked to the Sufi traditions and Islamic verses having a mystical school of Islamic thought which strives to attain truth and divine love by direct personal experience.

About the show, Director General PNCA, Tauqeer Nasir said the teachings of ‘Sufis’ played a significant role in dissemination of the divine message. The Qawwals took this message to the whole subcontinent through their unique expressions.

He said Qawwali follows a very specific psychological process in which one starts with the singing of the song or some soft instrumental music. In this psychological state the song is received in a manner that is not unlike standard forms of musical expression.

The words are sung, quite repeatedly with variations intended to bring out deeper means of the lyrics, he said adding, after a while there is a repetition to the extent that the words cease to have a meaning.

For Qawwali, the musical accompaniment is varied; Harmonium, Tabla, Dholak, Sarangi, and Rabab are commonly used instruments. Furthermore, a simple clapping of hands can prove to be its rhythmic support. — APP