12th Int’l Sufi Music Festival comes to an end
By: Bushra Shehzad
LAHORE: A three-day long International Mystic Sufi Music Festival organised by Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW) came to end on Sunday at Al-Hamra Arts Council.
The festival being held in collaboration with the Lahore Arts Council and Royal Norwegian Embassy brought together almost 200 Sufi music singers from all over Pakistan at a single platform.
The singers came from all parts and provinces of Pakistan, each representing a unique Sufi aesthetic embedded in each of their own local cultures. The likes of Krishan Lal Bheel from Cholistan, Zarsanga from KPK and Shahzad Ahmad Santo Qawal from Lahore performed on the first day. On the second day of the festival, known Sufi singers such as Saeen Zahoor, Mithu and Goonga Saeen enthralled a houseful audience, along with others such as Bazm-e-Liqa from Gilgit, Akhtar Chinar Zahri from Balochistan, Fraze Syed from Lahore among others. The last night of this mystical Sufi Festival saw performances by Pappu Saeen (Lahore), Sanam Marvi (Sindh), Arieb Azhar (Islamabad), Shah Jo Raag (Sindh) and Wahab Shah (Lahore) among others. The night and the festival itself concluded with a beautiful performance by Rafaqat Ali Khan (Lahore). Each of these many singers brought their own traditional and ethnic taste to a universal message of Sufi kalaam that was enjoyed by an audience that consisted of people from all walks of life.
According to the organisers, the festival has been a huge success for them this year. In this regard, RPTW Director Media and Public Relations Tasneem Peerzada confirmed, “I think this is very successful. It was such a jam-packed audience; we had to make arrangements outside to accommodate everyone. It was also very successful because there were people from all walks of life.”
The festival pays tribute to Sufi poetry and Sufi music and aims to promote and celebrate a mystical tradition that existed a thousand years ago. Tasneem Peerzada said that the Festival was a huge platform for these singers to present their talent and skills to a more universal city audience. It not only helps to promote their music and skills but also promotes the peaceful message inherent in Sufi kalaam.”
The International Mystic Sufi Music Festival has been brought to the Al-Hamra Arts Council stage after seven years. Earlier, the festival used to be held at the Qaddafi Stadium but it had to be moved due to security reasons.
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