HindustanTimes Wed,11 Dec 2013 Past forward Hindustan Times
Mumbai, March 16, 2013 First Published: 14:32 IST(16/3/2013)
Last Updated: 16:53 IST(16/3/2013) Amzad Ali Khan (right),
Girija Devi (centre) and Sultan Khan at a function in Lucknow.
As the concert season continues, music veterans say folk genres
such as thumri, qawwali and kajri aren’t losing out to other
popular styles of music. But they do need more government
support. ‘Qawwali changed from worship to romance’ Sabri
Brothers (Qawwali)  is a form of ibaadat (worship). Although it
has undergone several changes, we believe they have been for the
better. The genre stepped out of dargahs and made its way to
Bollywood. Our qawwali ‘Nahi hona tha’ from the film Pardes
(1997) is fondly remembered even now. Also, these days, a lot of
film songs are inspired by the qawwali rhythm, with a lot of
Sufi elements in them. The most drastic change has been that the
genre has gone from being a form of worship to attaining a more
romantic streak. But with Sufi music