That time of year: Fans flock to Sufi music extravaganza

Abida Parveen to perform on third day of festival

LAHORE:

Music fans flocked in droves to attend the first day of the Rafi Peer Mystic Music Sufi Festival on Friday.

With a dozen performances lined up over the extravaganza’s first two days, the performances continued late into the night, a treat for the audience who felt it demonstrated a resurgence of such events in the nation.

“Over the past few years, there have been few concerts in large open spaces like this one,” said 23-year-old Sadia Haroon, who was attending the festival with her friends. She felt that the festival was an encouraging sign with regard to promoting similar initiatives. “I can’t even remember the last time I saw a band perform,” she said. Haroon said she had been looking forward to seeing Noori perform the most.

The band performed their rendition of Aik Alif with Saein Zahoor among other songs.

The singers took the stage before Zahoor, performing covers of various Sufi songs with their evergreen song Manwa Re.

Others had come there to listen to names that they had become acquainted through Coke Studio like Suraiya Khanum, Sanam Marvi and Saein Zahoor. “It was amazing to see Marvi perform live. The dholwala with her was absolutely phenomenal,” said 25-year-old Saad Masood, who had also come there with his friends.

Those present praised the atmosphere saying the chilly December night made for a perfect opportunity to hear Sufi music. “When we started in 2000, there was no such event in the city,” Rafi Peer Mystic Music Sufi Festival chairman Sadaan Peerzada told The Express Tribune. He said that at the time Rafi Peer had been organising puppet festival, dance and theatre festivals. “We were very keen to host something related to music as well,” he said.

He said the festival had grown over time. “Now I see a lot more youngsters flocking to the festival since Sufi music has also become more popular,” Peerzada said. He said this was natural, “it is a good thing since it means Sufi music is being passed on to the younger generation,” Peerzada said. He said people now possessed a greater understanding of Sufi music.

Rizwan Muazzam Qawals, Areeb Azhar and Malang Party are among those slated to perform over the first two days of the festival. Abida Parveen will perform on the third day of the festival, her first in the city after eight years.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2015.