Mystic Sufi Festival by Rafi Peer Theaters has become a regular annual music event for Lahore. Fans and music lovers eagerly wait for this every year. Like previous years, Rafi Peer Theater announced schedule of this year's festival with big names of Sufi singing, Qawali and performing arts both from Pakistan and abroad.
The first day of the festival started with a bang at Alhamra Open Theater, Lahore as famous Qawal and singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and folk singer Arif Lohar were among the performers for the day. The other performers for day were classic dancer Sheema Kirmani, Sufi singer Theseen Sakina, Baloch Sufi singer Nawaz Khan, Gilgit-based girl Sufi band Nagma-e-Israfil and famous Dhol player Papu Saein.
The festival opened with performance of Nawaz Khan and his party as they sang Sufi Kalam along with praise to the creator in Balochi language. The performance was different due to its singing style but it did get attention of listener gradually.
Classic and Sufi dancer Sheema Kirmani took the stage after Nawab Khan and she just grabbed the attention of whole arena with her soulful performance. Kirmani performed on Kalam-e-Rabia Basri (a famous saint) followed by dance performance on Kalaam of famous sufi poet, Ameer Khusro Aj Rang Haey Ri Maa and her performance on it was simply breathtaking.
After Kirmani, famous folk singer Arif Lohar came to perform and sang his famous numbers including Jugni, Kalma Parhya Teray Naa Da and Mohabbat Daey Waaday. As expected Lohar made audience dance and cheer on his desi performance along with his energetic Dhol players.
All girl Gilgit-based Sufi band Naghma-e-Israfil came on stage and sang Sufi poetry with their local music instruments. The performance was soothing and was refreshing listen to the ears who had not listened that music before.
Famous Dhol player Papu Sain performed after that and took the whole arena with his Dhol beats. His mixing of traditional Desi Dhol beats with a Keyboard and Bass Guitar were magnificent and treat for ears. The fusion of traditional-modern was worth listening.
New Sufi singer Theseen Sakina came to perform and made audience dance and do Dhamal on her rather 'Abida Parveen Style' of singing. She sang two famous numbers Dhoom Charakra and Dama Dam Mast Qalandar. She did performed well and made audience really feel Kalaam of Bulleh Shah.
Lastly, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan took the stage and did justice to expectations of audience and listeners. He made people dance, cheer and lost rythem of famous Qawalis. Rahat sang seven numbers including Qawalis and Ghazals. He started his performance with famous Qawali Tu Kuja Mann Kuja and that was beautiful as for me it was best performance of the night. He completely enthralled people with famous numbers like Ali Da Malang, Tum Aik Gorakh Dhanda Ho and Dama Damm Mast Qalandar.
Rahat did total justice to these Qawalis and let audience lost in Sufi mysticism during his performance. He sang two famous ghazals of his mentor and uncle Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Meray Rashk-e-Qamar and Tumhaen Dil Lagi were beautifully sang with touch of his famous classical notes during the performance.
