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What happens when a sacred musical tradition leaves the dargah and enters the marketplace?

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This oil painting was done by Edwin Lord Weeks in the 1880s. He undertook his first voyage to India in 1882, where he proved to be a dedicated observer of Indian culture and architecture. “Nautch Girls Emerging from the Taj Mahal” is one of his well-known works. The painting showcases a group of nautch girls, who were traditional Indian dancers and entertainers, emerging from the iconic Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, and is considered one of the most beautiful and recognizable landmarks in the world. (Available as print)

Who Sold Qawwali’s Aura?

Through the devotional vision of Amir Khusrau, the thirteenth-century Sufi poet, qawwali took root in the courtyards of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya’s dargah in Delhi. It was sacred music, intended to express devotion to the Prophet and guide listeners towards sama, a state of spiritual ecstasy that only an accomplished qawwal could evoke. Centuries later, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan carried that tradition beyond Delhi’s gharanas and onto the world’s greatest stages. Through the extraordinary power and serenity of his voice, audiences across the globe found themselves drawn into the same collective trance.

So what changed after Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan? In the long history of qawwali, his era feels as though it ended only yesterday, yet since his passing, the essence of qawwali has undergone a profound transformation. Whether that change has been for better or for worse is open to debate, but there is little doubt that the tradition itself has changed.

Who Sold Qawwali’s Aura?

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Who Sold Qawwali’s Aura?

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