Qawwali, Music of punjab

Qawwali, Music of punjab

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Music is most popular thing in our societies nowadays. Everybody loves to listen music. There are many different genre of music like pop, jazz, classical, folk etc.

All of us are well aware with the term Qawwali. It is basically the Sufi devotional music which is much popular in Asian side. It is a part of traditional music that stretches back for almost 700 years. The word Sama is often still used which refers to be very similar to Qawwali, the formal name used for a session of Qawwali is Mehfil-e-Sama. Qawwal is the person who often repeats (sings) a Qawwali. It is originally performed at Sufi shrines and Darghas.

A group of Qawwali singers is known as Humnava. It consists of 8-9 members including a lead singer, 1 or 2 side singers and a few playing harmoniums sitting cross legged on the ground, at times Tabla and Dholak also. There is a chorus of 4-5 people who keep repeating the key verses. It is almost 15-20 minutes long.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is a legend and a famous name in Qawwal, because of him Qawwali received international exposure. Among the females Abida Parveen is on the top. But the thing is she does not perform them in the traditional Qawwali style. Some of his famous Qawwali’s are Haq Ali Ali, Shahbaaz Qalandar, Akhian udeek diyan, Sanson ki mala pe, Mera piya ghar aaya, Maki Madni, Nit khair manga, Mae ni mae. Some other famous Qawwals are Sabri Brothers, Aziz Miyan’.

Qawwalis are categorized by their content:

1. Hamd
2. Naat
3. Manqabat
4. Marsiya
5. Ghazal
6. Munajaat

Dhol , Musical Instrument of Punjab

Dhol , Musical Instrument of Punjab

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Dhol is a traditional instrument mostly played in Punjab. It is different from drums. The structure of Dhol is like a hollow drum, The drum consists of a wooden barrel with animal hide or synthetic skin stretched over its both open ends, which cover them completely. These skins can be stretched or loosened with a tightening mechanism, using nuts and bolts. The pitch of drum can be set by tightening and losing it. The stretched skin on one of the ends is thicker and produces a deep, low frequency (higher bass) sound and the other thinner one produces a higher frequency sound.  Nowadays drums with synthetic, or plastic, treble skins are commonly used.

It is a double-sided barrel drum played mostly as an accompanying instrument in regional music forms. The Dhol is played using one or two wooden sticks, usually made out of Bamboo and Cane wood. The stick used to play the bass side of the instrument is known as the Dagga in Punjabi, which is thick and is bent in a quarter-circular arc on the end that strikes the Dhol. The other stick is known as Tihli which is much thinner and flexible than the other and used to play the higher note end of the instrument.  In Qawali, the Dhol used is of smaller size and known as Tabla.

Nowadays Dhols are very common in marriage ceremonies. Specifically on Mehndi and Barat. Dhols are played and people express their feelings of joy by dancing on Dhol beats. It is also played on many occasions in village areas. In Punjab areas Dhol remains bulky to make large bass. Bhangara is mostly done on Dhol beats.

Dhol is also played on shrines of saints on Thursday or on their annual Uras or Meyla. Sufi Dhol is the most commonly type Dhol beat which is played on shrines. Some times Dhol player do a roll with beating the Dhol.