Riyaaz Qawwali

Few of the world's traditional musics are as captivating as the 700-year-old form of qawwali. With lively rhythmic cycles, gripping melodies, and inspirational poetry, Riyaaz Qawwali weaves new song and texts from Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, and other religions into the fabric of this venerable devotional music. The musicians, who come from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, embrace their diverse linguistic and religious backgrounds to extend qawwali to new, enthusiastic audiences. Returning to the roots of this ecstatic, mystical mysic, Riyaaz Qawwali conveys a universal message of oneness and joy that transcends religous and political boundaries.

Few of the World's traditional musics are as captivating as the 700-year-old form of qawwali. With lively rhythmic cycles, gripping melodies, and inspirational poetry. Qawwali is a form of traditional Sufi devotional music that was originally performed at Sufi shrines, and is still popular throughout Southeast Asia. The history of the artistic expression can be traced back to the 13th century when it was first introduced in Delhi by the Sufi Saint Amir Khusro through the fusion of Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and Indian musical traditions. Qawwalis give an insight into Muslim culture and traditions through its themes of mystic and spiritual devotion and love. Qawwali is a multilingual expression of art, and is typically performed in either one language or a mixture of Persian, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, or Punjabi. The content of Qawwalis is centered around praise of God, the Prophet Muhammad, or a worldly beloved.

The South Asian Students Association wants to exhibit the true atmosphere of a Mehfil-e-Sama (session of Qawwali) by having the audience seated on a carpeted floor and the performers on a raised platform. BRING YOUR OWN BLANKET OR CUSHION!

Tapestries: Voices Within Contemporary Muslim Cultures. This project is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Association of Performing Arts Professinals' Buiding Bridges: Arts, Culture and Identity, a component of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation an Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art. Learn more at sites.lafayette.edu/tapestries.

12:00pm Pre-performance Talk: Poetry and Philosophy of Qawwali and Sufi Music in the Gendebien Room, Skillman Library by Sonny Mehta, Artistic Director of Riyaaz Qawwali.