ISLAMABAD: The grand finale of the Rubab competition at the Lok Virsa amphitheatre was a fitting end to the Qissa Khawani Bazaar festival 2015. Sponsored by the Directorate of Culture, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the bazaar was a testament to unity in diversity.

Participants gathered from Malakand, Peshawar, Swabi, Nowshera, Mardan, Parachinar, Swat and Hazara, to compete, and were praised by the judges for their dexterity and skill. The judges were Rubab maestro Gulab Afridi, renowned composer and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz recipient Ustad Nazir Gul, and Pride of Performance winning tabla master Ustad Sabz Ali from the Punjab Gharana.

Speaking on the importance of instrumental music, Yasser Nomann, the competition’s artistic director, said, “I see that instrumental music in Pakistan is getting increasingly sidelined as even the music masters in the country believe that vocals are primary and instruments, secondary. If this trend persists, we will see more and more traditional, and often unique, instruments become extinct because there will be no masters left to teach them.”

“The Rubab represents Pakhtun and Central Asian music. We have only opened this competition to amateurs, and the result is that we have schoolchildren, university students, and rickshaw and van drivers competing, all of whom have learnt the instrument because they love it,” he added.

Lok Virsa executive director Dr. Fouzia Saeed said, “I am so happy this is happening. It’s the first event of its kind – previously there has only been an annual mela.”

“We have done our best to recreate the ambiance of the Qissa Khawani bazaar, so the audience can experience the tangible and intangible culture of KP. Kabuli Gate is where Khyber Bazaar becomes Qissa Khawani – the old Street of Storytellers – Peshawar’s most famous bazaar,” she said.

Few remember the bazaar now, where traders and travelers would gather and Central Asian cultures mingled. Lok Virda recreated the atmosphere with stalls from Peshawar. Traders selling shawls, brass and copperware come from generations of traders who worked in the bazaar.

“As cultural intolerance has escalated, Rubabs were broken and burnt, but this competition is a symbol of resilience – of both the instrument and this nation. These amateur musicians arrived early this morning because of their devotion to the instrument – this music is like the grass; even when it is trampled, it grows back,” Saeed said.

Discussing future plans, Saeed said that Lok Virsa hopes to promote more instruments, and would hold similar competitions in Balochistan for the Sarod, in Sindh for the Khartaal and Iktara, and in Punjab, for the Dholi.

The Rubab is known as the ‘lion’ of instruments, making it a fitting beginning to the national competitions. It is considered an ancestor of the Sarod.

The plucked Rubab became an essential component of Punjabi devotional rhythms in the 7th century, when musician Bhai Mardana became the first disciple of Guru Nanak.

Bilal Khan Bilal was awarded first place in the Rubab competition, while Mohammad Ali came in second, and Rahat Gul placed third. Two other participants, Mohammad Ali and Adnan Haider were given consolation awards, and judges said they were delighted by all 16 finalists.

“My older brother plays the Rubab and he taught me the basics. I was never taught by a master. I also taught myself, by listening to all sorts of music and watching online videos of other string instruments. I then adapted and incorporated those techniques into my Rubab playing.”

Bilal, who studies at the Malakand University, said.

“It’s our cultural instrument, and that inspired me. My audition went well and the performance on the first went well too,” he added.

Imran Khan, country director at Seeds of Peace, said: “The cultural diversity of the country not only reflects in clothes and food, music is a big part of it as well. Today we have seen the power of the Rubab during this competition. Many young people showed us their talent and passion by playing the instrument in unique ways, and the audience enjoyed each and every artist. This event truly showed that diversity is a wonderful thing.”

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2015

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