Despite the bloody bombings and attacks, the magical liberation of Sufi shrines is irrepressible Virinder S Kalra Manchester (UK)
The bloody bombing at the shrine of Data Sahib in Lahore in 2010 dampened — but only for a few days — the enthusiasm of the worshippers who congregate in thousands there on a typical Thursday afternoon. From 2:30pm onwards, the cacophony of the crowd is disciplined by the tuneful, rhythmic sounds of Qawaali performers who play in the large hall under the main shrine. All of Pakistan’s well-known and not-so-well-known Qawaals have played here, often to crowds in their tens of thousands. As the sounds of the azaan call out to signal the time of the Maghrib Namaaz, the Qawaali stops. But this is not the end of the sounds of the harmonium and tabla in the city, but rather the start of a long evening which spans not only the urban expanse of Lahore, but also different periods in history and multiple musical forms. Click here to read remaining article
