Sohrab Fakir. A well-known musician both at shrines and festivals in Sindh and internationally. © Horst A. Friedrichs.
A stunning photographic exhibition currently on show in south London explores the traditions of Sufi musicians on their journey of spiritual growth towards divine union.
The Spirit of Sufi Music: Troubadours of Allah is an inspiring showcase of 40 colour images and is on display in the Horniman Museum’s Balcony Gallery until February 27 2005.
Ghunghrus. Ghunghrus are metal bells which are tied around the ankles to make dance steps more audible. They are used primarily for athak, the dance of the storytellers. © Horst A. Friedrichs.
On show in Britain for the first time, the exhibition explores and evokes the mystical movement of Sufism; a religious movement that encourages followers to have a direct communion with God through music, poetry and dance.
Taken by highly acclaimed German photojournalist Horst A. Friedrichs over a period of two years, the collection of images captures the Indus Valley, Sindh - the southernmost province of Pakistan.
In this corner of the subcontinent there are numerous holy shrines to Sufi saints, where pilgrims flock to holy festivals and musicians create a devotional soundtrack.
Niku with his Soruz. © Horst A. Friedrichs.
Raised and educated in Frankfurt, Horst A. Friedrichs studied photography in Munich before launching a freelance career working for magazines such as Stern, Spiegel, the New York Times and the Independent Magazine.
Now a London resident, he explained how he came to his study of Sufism with no pre-conceived ideas of what it was.
"I was unfamiliar with the concept of Sufism before I embarked on the project but when I first arrived in Pakistan, I knew it would change my life," he said.
Musician at the shrine. The shrine is a religious institution as well as a gathering place hich plays an important role in the life of musicians. © Horst A. Friedrichs.
"The Sufis I met and photographed were kind, wise people who strive to be closer to Allah through their poetry and music. The experience really touched me and I hope that comes through in my pictures."
Originating in the mighty Indus Valley in the 13th century, the term Sufi is an honorary title in the Islamic world.
It is awarded to mystics who endeavour to achieve further spiritual consciousness for themselves and others by promoting a message of unity for humankind.
Yogi in Umarkot. Murli musicians, who are also snake charmers, are called yogi in Pakistan. © Horst A. Friedrichs.
Now more than 50 million people worldwide from Morocco to Malaysia practise this tolerant and festive faith.
Horst’s collection of images perfectly and evocatively conjures the devotional practises of Sufi musicians and the pilgrims attending religious festivals.
Portraying this dimension of Islamic religious life in an intimate and engaging light, his mesmerising photographs capture the essence of the often carnivalesque Sufi belief system.
