From dargahs to coffee shops, how qawwali lives on in the diaspora

Anika Hossain is not your typical qawwali singer. 

In fact, the 28-year-old Bengali American based in Long Island didn’t even start performing qawwali until last year—despite singing Rabindra sangeet or traditional Bengali music since she was five years old. 

Qawwali music, a form of Islamic devotional music that emerged in the 13th century out of modern day India and Pakistan, is a symphony of harmoniums, tablas, and powerful voices singing of God and love. Live performance remains a major component of qawwali–with performers typically playing in a group and sitting on the floor of the stage to create a sense of oneness with the audience. 

Despite its overlaps with Indian classical, Hossain never gravitated toward qawwali until recently – mainly because of who’s typically behind the mic. 

“I didn't see it as a female genre,” Hossain said. 

But after discovering Namita Choudhary’s version of “Chaap Tilak” and Runa Laila’s take on “Duma Dum Mast Kalander” on Spotify, Hossain realized how she could tap into the genre, too. 

“Qawwali helped me realize that I can also have a more powerful voice,” she said. “Not necessarily male sounding, it can still be female–but it can be very assertive and strong and confident.” 

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Hossain is part of the new age of qawwali fans and performers taking the centuries-old art form and making it their own. In the tri-state area – across the world from its origins in Sufi dargahs, or shrines – qawwali is thriving and diversifying as young South Asian Americans flock to events alongside older fans. 

Indian classical singer Rashika Ranchan credits platforms such as Bollywood for qawwali’s mass and persisting appeal. Based in Mercer County, Ranchan is the founder of “The Art of Indian and South Asian Music,” a program that educates Americans and International audiences about the various music genres within South Asian music.  

“Qawwali has definitely grown in appeal,” Ranchan said. “A lot of Bollywood films have Sufi music. And within that genre, musicians like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and A.R. Rahman have popularized it a lot within the Indian subcontinent, and brought it to Western audiences as well.”

Take Sophia Tareen, a 29-year-old Pakistani American and regular at Brooklyn qawwali performances. She doesn’t speak Urdu fluently, but the melodious crooning of qawwali still transports her right back to childhood.

“I really owe my relationship with qawwali to my father–I have lots of memories of him with his eyes closed, listening to qawwali in the house or in the car,” Tareen said. 

For fans like Tareen, qawwali is deeper than the lyrics—it’s a way to connect with her roots and find community. 

“I’ve listened to qawwali in the happiest moments of my life, and also in the darkest moments,” Tareen said. “It’s so associated with my parents and their generation.” 

Growing up in Philadelphia, Tareen recalls watching local artists perform qawwali on trips to Pakistan and driving to New Jersey with her dad to see big names like Fareed Ayaz. After moving to Brooklyn three years ago, music became a way for Tareen to form connections with new South Asian friends—exchanging Western and Desi playlists and taking turns queuing up YouTube videos of iconic Sabri Brothers performances.

“For someone who grew up in the U.S., it felt like this whole world that I didn’t know existed opened up when I met people who were also interested,” Tareen said. 

Now, you can find her and her friends clapping along at Barzakh Cafe – a quaint Brooklyn coffee bar hosting intimate dialogues, concerts, and performances including qawwali. 

Entering the eclectic space – decorated with layered Persian-style rugs, bookcases and instruments lining the walls, and colorful throw pillows for seating – transports you out of industrial Bushwick and into a cozy refuge, filled with lively chatter and international music. A cornerstone of their qawwali events is the mixed crowd – people who are Desi and not, ranging in age from their 20s to elders. 

“There's something so incredible about sitting so close to the performers and looking into their eyes as they're playing,” Tareen said. “It's a small space, so you really feel the reverberations of the music and the public and everything.” 

Groups like Musik Waves are also drawing in multiple generations of qawwali fans at events across New Jersey, featuring internationally-renowned qawwals. At an event last month in Edison, dozens of fans gathered to watch Imran Aziz Mian – the son of famous qawwal, Aziz Mian. The six piece ensemble lit up the theater with hit songs from Mian, like “Nabi Nabi Ya Nabi Nabi.” 

Spaces for emerging qawwali artists are also gaining popularity. Brooklyn Baithak, a South Asian performance space, showcases emerging artists in raga-based music. 

Founder Sapan Modi is a self-taught musician, dhol player for the South Asian punk rock band Awaaz Do and biotech professional. The idea for Brooklyn Baithak emerged when he moved to New York last year and struggled to find community. 

After hosting his first Friendsgiving in the city, which turned into a full-blown jam session, he realized how music could bridge that gap. Drawing on his experience organizing events for SubDrift Boston, an open mic series for South Asian creatives, Modi launched Baithak to foster community through South Asian music out of his living room. 

Since cramming people into his apartment for their first event over a year ago, Modi and his collaborators have expanded to local cafes and theaters, bringing in South Asian musicians and dancers across genres and mediums to crowds of up to 100. 

“What I love most is watching the connections that form—people discovering collaborators, making friends, and even hearing that a date or two may have happened,” Modi said. “Baithak is proof that music transcends boundaries, unites people, and creates a community where everyone can feel at home.”

Hossain made her qawwali debut at Baithak and has unlocked a new genre for herself. 

“It’s been great to connect with the community through music, and especially to connect with them through songs that are so loved,” Hossain said. “I went from not listening to qawwali at all to becoming a qawwali regular.” 

While Modi’s space embraces all forms of raga music – from Bollywood to Carnatic to folk – he says qawwali has been a constant on their stage, and a crowd-pleaser. 

“When the qawwali performances are on stage, you see a lot of people singing, a lot of people clapping, people smiling cheek to cheek—the energy is so high,” he said. “At our theater show, we closed with the qawwali performance, and people were literally dancing up and down the aisles.” 

Zoya Wazir is a 2024-25 reporting fellow at Central Desi. She also works as a production assistant at NBC News NOW, NBC News' streaming platform.

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