Taste of Sufism

Sama Khana at Hazrat Shah Abban Rauza, Amroha

Three days after Eid, I woke up with sound of people singing Qawwali in a loudspeaker. That day was the beginning of four day long Urs celebration. Urs is the death anniversary of a Sufi Saint. The death of a Sufi saint is regarded as wisaal (union with the beloved), and it is celebrated as a wedding anniversary.

I was hearing that sound from nearby khanqah of Haz. Shah Abban Badr-e-Chishti. The Khanqah is a hall next to a mosque where he used to preach his disciples. In the Khanqah, Qawwali is performed in morning for continuous four days. It is a dimly lit place decorated with many old tughras and other sconces.

Qawwali begins at about 10:30 in the morning and ends at-least one hour before Namaz. After Qawaali Langar begins. In Langar, delicious Qorma and Naan are served. The gravy of Qorma is kept very dilute. Technically its “shorba”. After Langar, people perform Salah and leave to return in the evening for yet another session of Qawwali in SamaKhana at the Rauza (the dargah of Badr-e-Chishti near railway crossing flyover).