The Qawwali Project – An Untold Story

Qawwali mehfils (assemblies) are held regularly at the many Sufi shrines or dargahs. While seated on the ground people lose themselves to music and poetry, yet there is a well-timed rush of activity of giving money to the Qawwal as part of their obeisance to the shrine. The performers continue singing undisturbed, an age old tradition followed equally by men and women at every shrine.

The Qawwali Project, is an initiative conceptualized by Manjari Chaturvedi where the untold story of Qawwali unfolds through the eyes of photographers. The practitioners are photo-documented with their performance art, their lives and their association with the Sufi shrines where they perform. Qawwali is the performance art and Qawwal is the practitioner. This is an attempt by the Sufi Kathak Foundation to document the traditions as they exist at the shrines itself.