Molvi Zameer Vehranwale - Jag Taran Maharaj

Hailing from Punjab and revered as custodians of the khanqahi (shrine-based) qawwali tradition, the Vehranwale Qawwals stem from a hereditary lineage that migrated from their ancestral village of Vehran, India, to Faisalabad, Pakistan, after 1947. As Qawwals, they continue their generational legacy of Islamic training, hence bearing the title of ‘Molvi’.

Notable ancestral figures from this lineage include the late Molvi Ahmed Hassan and Molvi Ahmed Hussain. Until recently, the Vehranwale Qawwals were particularly known due to their charismatic leader Molvi Haider Hassan, who unfortunately passed away in 2019. Since then, Maulvi Zameer Al Hassan has taken the helm, leading the ensemble under the name of ‘Molvi Zameer Al Hassan Ali Haider Hassan Vehranwale Qawwal’, ensuring the continuation of the family legacy.

This performance, held at Karachi’s iconic The Second Floor (T2F) on the 29th January 2024, marked their first public performance since Maulvi Haider Hassan’s untimely demise. Upholding the spirit of the khanqahi qawwali tradition, Maulvi Zameer Al Hassan adhered to the prescribed song order as typically observed in a traditional mehfil-e-sama. Coinciding with the urs (death anniversary) of the 12th century South Asian Sufi Saint, Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the genre of qawwali performed here is called a manqabat, and is a tribute to the great saint, lovingly addressed as Maharaj- the King of Kings. As the founder of the Chishti Sufi order, Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti played a pivotal role in advocating for devotional practices such as qawwali.

[Text and Film by Wajiha Naqvi]

Sound by Nizar Lalani and Daniyal Ahmed
Translation by Musab bin Noor and Daniyal Yousaf
Edit by Daniyal Yousaf

Special thanks to The Second Floor (2f) for hosting the artists and allowing us to record and share this very special evening with the world. We will be inshAllah releasing the whole live session as a collaborative project in the near future. So stay tuned and keep supporting our artists just the way you have.

May God bless you all and may all your prayers come true.