Double qawwalis

On the simultaneous commemorations of two historic figures of Delhi

- Mayank Austen Soofi

Among many other avatars, Delhi is also a city of mystics. It is known as 'Bais khwaja ki chaukhat', the threshold of 22 Sufi gurus. This week, and the next, the city celebrates the death anniversary of two of those mystics. One is world-famous, the other isn't known much even within the city.

One might naturally wonder about rejoicing over a death. The inevitability has a less mournful connotation in Sufism, where a fakir's passing is not mourned, but celebrated. Urs translates to "wedding" in Arabic and symbolises the union of the lover with the beloved, who is God. And this year happens to be Hazrat Amir Khusro's 721st Urs, and Hazrat Hare Bhare Shah's 404th Urs.