Still images of rousing performances

A photo exhibition goes beyond the music to put a face to the many unknown qawwali artistes

Electric, spirited and earnest are some of the adjectives we readily associate with a qawwali performance. Can these emotions be captured through static images? An ongoing photo exhibition at Delhi’s India International Centre showcases the moments when qawwals become the voice of the hundreds of devotees who throng the shrine, seeking grace. Capturing the artistes at traditional performance sites reminds one of how deep and profound are also the words that we relate with this art form.

Conceptualised by Kathak exponent Manjari Chaturvedi, who has done extensive research on Sufi music as part of her decade-old Qawwali Project, the images capture practitioners with their families, in their everyday lives, and in their interactions with audiences.

Manjari describes the project as the first-ever photo documentation of the dwindling art form. “The qawwals of the subcontinent have largely remained faceless. Of course, people associate with their names and the music, but not the faces of the artistes. This is what led to the launch of this project, to show the real faces behind this music,” says Manjari.