India: traditional Sufi music brings together all faiths at Nizamuddin mausoleum

Audio 02:50

Qawwali singers in India (photo illustration).

© WikimediaCommons / Flickr / Nagarjun Kandukuru / CC BY 2.0

By: Sébastien Farcis Follow

2 min

The policies of the Hindu Nationalist Party tend to increasingly divide Hindus and Muslims, and to erase the rich Muslim heritage of this country.

But one place remains the symbol of the mixture of different religions and cultures that have crossed paths in the subcontinent: the Muslim mausoleum of Nizamuddin, in the south of New Delhi, brings together Indians of all faiths every evening to listen to the traditional Sufi music, called 

qawwali.

Discovery of one of the last places of Indian syncretism. 

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From our correspondent in New Delhi,

The sun has just set, about fifty believers come out of the mosque of Nizamuddin, in the south of New Delhi, and stop in the courtyard of the mausoleum of Nizamuddin Auliya. Musicians sit on the floor in front of the monument, and sing their first stanzas. This is the beginning of 

qawwali.

Devotees and music lovers, like the young Hisham, stand by their side: “ 

The feeling of peace that we find here is unique. With my friend, when we are stressed, we come to listen to qawwali. 

" 

They are about ten musicians in traditional clothes.

They play the harmonium, percussion, and fervently take up these poems in Urdu or Persian, many composed in the Middle Ages.

Texts which speak with great poetry of their love for the Sufi saints and gods.

At the end of each stanza, their arms reach out towards this magnificent lighted mausoleum, as if they were speaking to their revered poet while the public, him, deposits tickets in front of the instruments.  

"

You can accept wisdom, whatever its origin ”

Qawwali thus transmits the spiritual knowledge of past centuries, through tales and fables, but these stories are in the image of the Indian subcontinent: a mixture of cultures and religions that live there. Dhruv Sangari is a

Qawwal

musician 

 : “ 

It is not only Muslims who can fall in love with the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him -

everyone can appreciate his kindness and generosity. Likewise, it is not just Hindus who fall in love with the god Ram, and he is celebrated in Muslim Indonesia, for example. You can accept wisdom no matter where it comes from

. " 

This mixture is felt in the public coming to the mausoleum of Nizamuddin, which also includes Hindus, Sikhs or Christians.

Who all listen to this sacred Muslim music.

" 

I am a communist and not a religious, but this music captivates me,"

says Ananda Krishnan, a Hindu from Kerala

.

I come here with my friend, who is Muslim.

And we're both touched, because this music speaks to everyone.

This mixture is the beauty of India. 

" 

This beauty is disappearing, unfortunately, under the blows of the policies of the Hindu nationalist government, which divides Hindus and Muslims.

And presents these as a danger to the future of India. 

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