Sindh Festival: Spirits remain high on Sufi Night despite low turnout

Audience enjoy Sanam Marvi, Mohan Bhagat’s music but let down by absence of Abida Parveen.

KARACHI:

It wasn’t only the jiyalas of the Pakistan Peoples Party who were dancing to Sufi music on Friday night, but everyone who attended, including a large number of bureaucrats, appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.

More than a half a dozen Sufi, rock and pop singers performed at the Sindh Festival’s Sufi Night but as expected, Sanam Marvi and Mohan Bhagat stole the show and brought the audience to their feet in the Baradari Park/Polo Ground.

A folk singer started the show with ‘Sufi je soz saaz khe samjhan ta dukhiyo aa, hen ishaq je anzaad khe samjhan ta dukhiyo aa’ [It is difficult to understand the message of Sufism, which is the message of love and tolerance]. The audience’s excitement could not be concealed when the host called Mohan Bhagat, a renowned folk singer from Cholistan, Punjab, to stage. Wearing the traditional attire of his area and playing “Yaktaro” or “Chhapri”, a one-string instrument often used in Sindh and Punjab, Bhagat received a standing ovation after his performance.

“Yar kya kalam ga raha he… dil se ga ra hai [he is singing with his heart]”, were some of the remarks exchanged between people when he presented Sachal Sarmast’s poetry “Aa kanga ker galh moonsa Munhenji maroarhan ji” [Oh, messenger please come and bring good news of my loved ones].

Even though the passion for Sufi music was high, the attendance was low. The thousands of empty chairs indicated that the number of visitors was far less than what the organisers expected. A number of reasons came to mind for the low attendance, including absence of Abida Parveen, the queen of sufi music who was earlier scheduled to perform. The organisers, however, thought that it has more to do with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s strike call.

Hundreds of policemen and Rangers’ personnel were deployed around the Polo Ground where the PPP’s jiyalas were also chanting slogans in favour of their leaders -

“Jeay Bhutto” and “Marson Marson Sindh na deson”.

When the time came for pop icon Ali Haider to come to the stage, one could tell through the applause that his fans had been waiting for his performance. “It has been four years since my last visit to Karachi. My return to this city and being here right now is all because of this event,” he said to the audience, garnering applause and cheering. Among the songs he performed was ‘Laal meri pat’ but it was quite clear that the audience were looking forward to Abida Parveen’s version. “We came for Abida Parveen but now we found out that she isn’t even here,” said Israr, one of the attendees.

Fahim Allan Fakir, son of Allan Fakir, also sung Shah Latif’s poetry to the delight of the audience.

The singers of Coke Studio, raag of Amir Khusrow and Turkish Sufi dance was also part of the. The highlight of the evening, however, was Saman Marvi’s performance. She was welcomed to the stage with fireworks. Starting with Shah Latif’s poetry, her powerful performance made many emotional, especially when she sang Ibrahim Mushi’s “Natho jo Sindh je la laray, so Sindh khe chadi wajhen” [Those who are not willing to fight for the rights of Sindh should leave this land.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2014.