These siblings from Hyderabad are on mission to make qawwali great again

Hyderabad: In an age when traditional music is losing ground to the modern genres and the difficulty in grabbing attention of listeners with a transient taste in music, a group of 4 siblings from Errakunta in Hyderabad are on a mission to preserve and promote qawwali, the traditional form of Islamic music.

The 4 siblings from the old city – Syed Khaleel, Syed Bilal, Syed Aqeel and Syed Shakeel – are aspiring to make qawwali big again and in the process also make name for themselves by aspiring to perform not only in Hyderabad but in various parts of the country and abroad.

The Sufi-Islamic music runs in the blood and veins of these passionate qawwals who were exposed to the music at an early age by their father Syed Kamal, a qawwal himself, who instilled the love for the music of Sufis in these youngsters.

The siblings, who established the group ‘Ghulam -E- Waris’ with 3 other qawwals, make a living only by manifesting the music of Sufism at dargahs, holy shrines, weddings, festivals and other celebratory events.

The 7-member troupe is busy during the Rabiʽ al-Awwal, the birth month of the Prophet Muhammad, as they give around 30-35 performances in the month.

“In the earlier days, equal importance was given to vocalists (singers) and instrument players but these days, people are giving importance only to beats of dholaks or table,” says Syed Khaleel who idolises the renowned qawwali singers Syed Kamal Warsi (his father) and Ustad Jaffar Hussain Khan. “A few people prefer DJs over parties and events, but thanks to Hyderabadis who still love and enjoy qawwali to the core,” he added.

They sing songs in different languages such as Urdu, Hindi, Farsi (Persian), Punjabi, Bhojpuri and other languages. These passionate qawwals are also seeking government’s support to encourage them by recognising their efforts and helping them achieve their goal of performing qawwali in different countries.