The Department for History, Indraprastha College, University of Delhi, invites

papers for the Undergraduate Research Seminar on the theme Sufism in South
Asia: Text, Legends and Popular Traditions. The following concept note serves as
a guideline:

Hafiza gar wasl khwaahi, sulh-e-kun bar khass o aam

Har Musallmaan Allah Allah, Har Brahmin Ram Ram

O Hafiz! If you desire union (with the almighty), be tolerant with all
With each Muslim say Allah Allah, with each Brahmin say Ram Ram

The above couplet by the Persian poet Khwaja Hafiz Shirazi encapsulates the
essence of Sufism: tolerance, pluralism, love (ishq) and unity of existence (wahadat-
ul-wujud). In South Asia, home to scores of religions and numerous identities, these
ideas were well received and preserved in texts, rituals, and legends and embodied
in architectural spaces. Today, the prominence of these Sufi ideas echoes in
commercial cinema, mainstream music and popular discourse.

Apart from being a harbinger of harmony, Sufism in South Asia was a force of
rebellion in a deeply caste and class stratified society. The process of cleansing of
the soul (nafs) in the auspices of the Sufi saint (pir-o-murshid) to unite with god
(vasl) was open to all irrespective of their religious affiliations or caste barriers.
While charitable endeavours such as open kitchens (langar) in khanqahs
encouraged inter dining practices, interactions with the Sufi saint ensured a steady
flow of spiritual grace (baraka) for all.

The ideas of syncretism did not obfuscate the tensions of bartering and surviving in
a society with a plethora of sects. Not all Sufi silsilas were eager for interfaith
openness. Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi of the Naqshbandi silsila accused Sufis of
committing bid’a (innovation), a cardinal sin within Islam. His criticism of Mughal
emperor Akbar’s encouragement of Hindu-Muslim marriage pertained to how the
two religions are fundamentally different and their adherents should just follow
their own religion. Within Islam as well there was conflict between what constitutes
as “pure” Islam and “heterodox” Islam, a subject Shah Waliullah Dehlavi wrote
extensively about in the 18th century.

The main repositories of such practices in South Asia are the textual traditions of
Tazkirat, Malfuzat and Maktubat; hagiographies and treatises chronicling the lives
of Sufi saints, their interactions with their followers and with the State.
Interestingly, many of these shed light on the grim presence of women Sufi saints.
While Rabia- al Adawiyya and Bibi Fatima Sam are well known, few know about
princely women such as Jahanara who received the piri-muridi status. The texts also
alert the keen reader about the State-Sufi dynamic, which was often not
harmonious. Furthermore, issues of giving and receiving patronage were
uncomfortable events where even utterly pious saints such as Nizam-ud-din Auliya
were embroiled in a dilemma to accept large donations. Sufi poetry, often composed
by the murid such as Amir Khusrau, filled with love and devotion to the to
“Mehboob-e-Ilahi”, expositions the concept of ishq (love) and nafs (soul) later
reflected in romances such as Heer Ranjha and Padmavat.

A bulk of Sufi tradition was transmitted orally in the form of legends. In the Deccan,
the prototype is usually that of the wandering saint inhabiting a deserted place
where his powers would cause fountains of water to miraculously spout from the
ground. The other trope is that of the Ghazi, a warrior-saint such as Ghazi Miyan of
Bharaich and Pir Mhabari Khandayat of Bijapur. These are legends that indicate a
friction between Sufi saints and non-Islamic rulers and also offer a different
perspective on the otherwise sanitized and non-violent image of the pir.

Such motley of legends and texts made it inevitable for Sufi traditions to enter into
the realm of popular culture particularly in the domain of music and cinema.
Qawwalis such as “Khwaja Mere Khwaja” or “Kun Faya Kun” Coke Studio’s rendition
of Sufi kalaams such as Khusrau’s “Rang” or “Lal Meri Pat” and the rock edition of
Junoon’s “Sayonee” receive blockbuster views. While cinematic representations of
popular romances such as Heer Ranjha and Soni Mahiwal did not cash the box office,
the Sufi idea of ishq (love) transcending material boundaries are beautifully
depicted in movies such as “Ishqiya”, “Fanaa” and “Dil Se”. We invite papers on
topics such as:

• Sufis and the State

• Gender in Sufism
• Dargahs, Khanqahs and politics of space
• Feasting and Fasting in Sufism
• Popular cinema, music and Sufism
• Qaseedas and masnavis: Sufi poetry
• Ideas of love (ishq) and the beloved (mehboob)
• Tensions, conflicts and the cult of the Ghazi
• Miracles and magic: Legends of Sufism
• Any other relevant theme

Interested candidates are requested to send abstracts of not more than 500 words
latest by 8th February, 2020 to the email addresses provided below. The abstracts
will be screened and the selected students will be contacted with further guidelines
for the paper presentation to be held on 5th March, 2020. Submission of mentored
papers is highly encouraged. Top three papers will receive the following prizes:

1st prize- 2000 rupees

2nd prize- 1500 rupees
3rd prize- 1000 rupees

Ruchika Sharma (sharma.ruchika90@gmail.com)

Dr. Avantika Sharma (avantikahistory@gmail.com)

Advisors,
History Society
Department of History
Indraprastha College for Women
University of Delhi