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Free Thinking in the Summer - 1. York Festival of Ideas - Wars of the Roses

Free Thinking Festival Rana Mitter examines the legacy of the War of the Roses from the York Festival of Ideas.

ON NEXT : 22:45 The Essay

World Routes

Image for A mahfil Sufi gathering in Karachi

Play now 45 mins

A mahfil Sufi gathering in Karachi

Duration:
45 minutes
First broadcast:
Sunday 31 December 2000

In the second of two programmes from this Sony Award-winning series, first broadcast on BBC World Service, Jameela Siddiqi visits a mahfil, a late-night Sufi gathering in a private home in Karachi.

She hears multi-lingual qawwali and learns about the affect the music can have on the listener. As well as learning about the controversial relationship between music and Islam.

Music and featured items

9 items
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Mahfil

    Jameela Siddiqi visits a Mahfil at a private home in Karachi.

  • Music played

    • 00:04

      Unknown Music from Mahfil

      BBC Recording

  • Multilingual qawwali

    We hear a qawwali where several languages are incorporated in the same song.

  • Music played

    • 00:08

      Unknown unknown Qawwali

      BBC Recording

  • Structure of qawwali

    A performer explains the structure of a qawwali group and the use of instruments.

  • Qawwali based on Persian poem

    We hear a long qawwali based on a Persian poem about the love of God.

  • Music played

    • 00:19

      Unknown a Persian poem about the love of God

      BBC Recording

  • The affects of qawwali

    A fan explains how qawwali affects him and the relationship between music and Islam.

  • Music played

    • 00:31

      Unknown Qawwali from private gathering

      BBC Recording

Broadcasts

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