KHAN MASJID – SUFI FESTIVAL WAS A MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA WITH SOUL

As we made way through the narrow, dusty lanes of Dholka towards the elusive Khan Masjid, the locals looked at us with curiosity. ‘When was the last time we had so many ‘outsiders’ here?’ Minutes later, we arrived at the venue, and the ruins took our breath away. In early, we had a great chance to explore the remains of what would have been a glorious structure in its times. “Mujhe yahaan se yahaan tak carpet laga hua chahiye,” we heard Birwa Qureshi giving out last-minute instructions to her team. She is a hands-on organiser, who along with her tabla-maestro husband, Ustad Fazal Qureshi, has been bringing to Amdavadi audience the Sufi and Water Festivals for the last eight years. The latest addition to their list of monuments, Khan Masjid. also called the Alif Khan Mosque was built in the 1500s by Alif Khan Bhukai, and offered one of the most stunning backdrops for musicians like Ustad Fazal Qureshi (tabla), Balabhaskar (violin), Arun Kumar (drums), and Rajith George (keyboard) who were captivating on stage.Their love for music, the fun they had during their jugalbandi, translated into magic and reached the hearts. All this while, the building stood its ground, watching over us in silence. The walls seemed intact, but the windows had lost their intricate designs. “The towerlike structures on both ends were connected by a bridge, did you know?” asked architect Khushnu-Panthaki- Hoof, who met us at the steps of the mosque. The finale act of the evening the reason why it is called the Sufi Festival — was by the Nizami Bandhu, who walked in on stage clad in shiny red outfits. Their renditions of Kun Faya Kun, Allah Hu, Bhar Do Jholi, and fan-favourite Dumadum Mast Kalandar, left listeners in a trance. The Khan Masjid must be shrouded in darkness once again now, no longer expecting to be ‘saved’. We left the venue with one thought: ‘Shouldn’t we respect our rich heritage by preserving it, or can we only appreciate beauty when it is damaged?’