Interview | We have performed Qawwalis all over the globe, but there is no place like India: Ghulam Waris Nizami

Red Fort Festival - Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, a 10-day cultural extravaganza hosted at the iconic Red Fort from 25 March-3 April 2022, was organised by the joint collaboration of Ministry of Culture and Dalmia Bharat Group as part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. Piyush Goyal, minister of commerce and Industry, was the guest of honour at the closing ceremony of the festival. Over the course of the 10 days, the festival witnessed a spectacular cultural fusion showcasing India’s rich history and a kaleidoscopic diversity in art, heritage, culture, cuisine and much more. One of the most anticipated performances of the festival was by the Qawwali singer Ghulam Waris Nizami of the famed Nizami Brothers who performed in front of a packed audience at the Red Fort. [caption id=“attachment_10539721” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Ghulam Waris Nizami (left) of the famed Nizami Brothers performs at the Red Fort Festival[/caption] Ghulam Waris Nizami, who has been performing together with his brother Ghulam Sabir Nizami since the early 1980s, had to perform without him at the Red Fort Festival as he had been indisposed. To give him company in the absence of his legendary brother were his young nephews Faizan Hasan and Zeeshan Hasan Nizami. [caption id=“attachment_10539751” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Ghulam Waris Nizami of the famed Nizami Brothers performs along with his nephews Faizan Hasan and Zeeshan Hasan Nizami at the Red Fort Festival[/caption] Ghulam Waris Nizami has travelled far and beyond, taking the Sufi music to the Gulf, Africa, England, Europe, but performing at the Red Fort as part of the celebrations of 75 years of Independence holds a very special place in his heart. “I consider myself very fortunate to be born in India and I also want to breathe my last here. This is one of the most memorable moments of my life that I am able to perform live at the Red Fort as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration. I am grateful to the Ministry of Culture and Dalmia Bharat Group for giving me this wonderful opportunity,” rejoiced Ghulam Waris Nizami. Despite the absence of his brother, the veteran Sufi singer was quite upbeat in the company of his young nephews. “Hopefully, my brother will be back very soon and you will see us performing together once again like always. But, today, I am absolutely delighted to be performing with my talented nephews here at the Red Fort Festival. They already run a very popular young group called Sufi Nizami Brothers. While they are fully capable of catering to the demands of the younger generation of music lovers, there is no denying that they have very strong foundations in Sufi music and are fully aware of their musical legacy,” asserted Waris Nizami. Ghulam Waris Nizami credited the government’s proactive vaccination drive for containing the damage that the pandemic could have caused. “Just like everybody else, our group was equally impacted by the pandemic. But when I look back at how bad the situation was all around the globe I feel grateful to God that as a country we have managed to fight against the odds so strongly. The entire country took it up as a challenge and particularly the vaccination drive to combat it has been most exemplary,” said Waris Nizami. At the height of the pandemic, it became a major challenge for the Nizami Brothers to perform in front of a live audience. Although they did shift to the online mode for some of their performances, it is not something that the legendary Qawwali group prefers. “We were forced to shift to the online mode for some time but it’s not something we enjoy doing. I feel the real pleasure of Qawwali is when you are performing live in front of an audience. This applies to both the audiences as well as the performers. Without the audience in front of us as performers we don’t feel the same excitement. There is a different pleasure altogether when you are able to touch the hearts of those who are listening to you live,” opined Waris Nizami. Over the last several decades, the Nizami Brothers have been instrumental in taking the art of Qawwali to the whole world. “We have been fortunate enough to have performed our Qawwalis all over the globe, including the Royal Albert Hall in London where no other Indian qawwal has performed yet. But I can tell you that there is no place in the world like India. We have a long tradition of Qawwali right from the days of Hazrat Amir Khusrau and as a group we are fully committed to keeping it alive,” explained Waris Nizami. The Nizami Brothers are darbari qawwals attached to the Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi. “We have a long association with Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia as Dargah’s darbari qawwals. It’s reflected in all our performances which in essence are rooted in Sufi music. I can assure you that this evening we will present the best of our Qawwalis at the iconic Red Fort,” summed up Waris Nizami. Apart from the live musical performances, other major highlights at the Red Fort Festival included a ‘Projection Mapping Show’ about India’s history on the exterior walls of the Red Fort with narration in Divya Dutta’s voice, a 360 degree immersive experience ‘Yatra’ highlighting India’s preeminence as the oldest living civilization. [caption id=“attachment_10539781” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] ‘Yatra’, a 360 degree immersive experience, highlights India’s preeminence as the oldest living civilization[/caption] There was a unique and interactive exhibition ‘Bharat Gaurav’ taking viewers through the achievements of ancient Indian icons and India’s significant achievements since Independence; an extravagant ‘Cultural Parade’ choreographed by Maitreyee Pahari featuring multiple Indian dance forms, and a host of cultural programs featuring the grandeur of the country’s vibrant arts and craftsmanship, a culinary explosion of regional cuisines and curated song and dance performances that pay homage to the country’s unity in diversity. [caption id=“attachment_10539791” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] An extravagant ‘cultural parade’ choreographed by Maitreyee Pahari featuring multiple Indian dance forms was also part of the Red Fort Festival[/caption] Committed to celebrating the history of India, the Red Fort Festival - Bharat Bhagya Vidhata is planned as an annual event with underlying themes like freedom struggle, national integrity, cultural heritage, sustenance for communities, and ideas, resolve and achievements at 75 and beyond. Murtaza Ali Khan is an Indian critic and journalist who has been covering cinema, art and culture for over 10 years. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.