Identity with dargahs fading

to them if they want to learn it as a hobby. But it is a strict ‘no’ if they want to become professionals, as we are struggling for a living,” Ayazzi replied. Syed Kamal Warsi is a familiar figure along with his three sons at the city shrines. But he too prefers his children explore other career options.

“My elder son works at a cloth store and accompanies me only on Sundays for programmes. The others attend school every day,” Warsi says, and adds that the future for singers like him is bleak. “They are allowed into various shrines as this form of sufi music is associated with the dargahs and even qawwals from other states come and perform,” said Syed Hussain Shabbir Hussaini, former caretaker, Dargah Yousufain. Not all qawwals struggle to make a living. Some have managed to move ahead and make a mark for themselves even on the global stage.

The Warsi brothers of Pathergatti in the Old City are among the accomplished practitioners of the Sufi form of music. Naseer Ahmed Khan and his brother Nazeer Ahmed Khan have achieved global fame; they are much sought-after.

They credit their success to the tradition of qawwali running into their family over the last 900 years.

“Our ancestors Miyan Darghai and Miyah Nizahi were trained by Hazrat Amir Khusro, the famous poet, scholar and musician of 12th Century. Since then, qawwali has been in our blood,” said Naseer Ahmed Khan.

The qawwal agreed that the appeal among the people for qawwali has come down.

“Only those who recognise and understand Sufi music are inviting us for performances. It is more of a cultural event now; its identity with dargahs and religious gatherings is fading,” Naseer explained.

Another prominent qawwal, Ahsan Hussain Bande Nawaz, now 62, of Malakpet who began singing qawwali since he was 10, was upset with the “adulteration” of Sufi music.

“More of western music is now being pumped into qawwali. The ‘real’ Sufi singers are all gone and the new crop is now going in for a remix version. But still, we stress and practice the classical form,” Ahsan said.

The qawwal, along with his sons, gives performances at various cultural events.

On the 16th of every Hijri month, Ahsan, along with his sons Adil Hussain and Kamal Hussain, gives a “must” performance at the Dargah Baba Sharfuddin at Pahadishareef.