DefinePK

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of two iconic figures in South Asian Sufi-folk music Allan Faqeer of Sindh, Pakistan and Kanwar Grewal of Punjab, India. Through qualitative content analysis and ethnomusicological comparison, it examines how each artist embodies Sufi ideals of devotion, humility and love while negotiating distinct cultural, political and media contexts. Allan Faqeer’s ecstatic, shrine-based performance style represents spiritual joy and national unity within Pakistan’s broadcast era, whereas Kanwar Grewal’s ascetic yet activist expression redefines Sufi music as a medium of protest and moral awakening in contemporary India. Despite differences in vocal timbre, instrumentation and ideological framing, both artists converge in using music as a vehicle of transcendence, empathy and collective identity. The study underscores how Sufi-folk traditions continue to evolve as vibrant forms of cultural resilience and spiritual communication in a rapidly changing South Asian landscape.