Qawwali by women, for women at Lamakaan, Banjara Hills

As part of World Music Day being celebrated in Hyderabad, Lamakaan is organising 'Qawwali', a musical tradition, at Lamakaan, Banjara Hills on June 30.

The Fête de la Musique, also known as Music Day, Make Music Day or World Music Day, is an annual music celebration that takes place on 21 June. On Music Day the citizens of a city or country are allowed and urged to play music outside in their neighbourhoods or in public spaces and parks. Free concerts are also organised, where musicians play for fun and not for payment.

'Qawwali' a musical tradition, belonging to the Sufi culture, wherein the soul of the singer and audience ecstatically becomes one with the almighty. It was popularised during the Mughal era. It is mostly performed by men at dargahs or at places of sacred importance.

Shaheen Women's Resource and Welfare Association, an NGO located in the heart of Old City, Hyderabad, has been tirelessly working for the rights of young girls and women since the time of its establishment in 2002. Shaheen has successfully adopted Qawwali for its activities for twin reasons – firstly, to break the stereotype of Qawwals (singers) to be only men, and secondly, to create awareness in the community through Qawwalis on women's rights.

The Qawwalis performed by the dedicated interventionists of the organisation are unique in nature, with their focus on gender issues. They include topics like the protection and education of the girl child, domestic violence, 'Beti Basati Hi Ye Dunya Hamari Saari, discrimination against the girl child and child marriage, among a host of other women and child rights issues.

The lyrics of the Qawwalis have been poignantly penned down by the Founder-Director of Shaheen, Jameela Nishat, who is an activist and poet herself. It is an exclusive effort on the part of Shaheen to promote cultural empowerment in society.

These Qawwalis portray the life story of girls suffering in the patriarchal society in such a way that one can visualise their agony. The performers often find the response from the audience to be overwhelming, and therefore feel this kind of a cultural activity to be an effective method of intervention to reach out to the masses.

Where: Lamakaan

When: June 30

Time: 7 pm