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Mokhtar Oregon 0171N 10577
Mokhtar Oregon 0171N 10577
Mokhtar Oregon 0171N 10577
by
SHEHRAM MOKHTAR
A THESIS
December 2012
and
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THESIS ABSTRACT
Shehram Mokhtar
Master of Arts
December 2012
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CURRICULUM VITAE
DEGREES AWARDED:
Cultural/Critical Studies
Television & Film Studies
Sufism
South Asian Studies
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
also thank Syed Mehdi Shah Sabzwari, Apa Tasneem, and Syed
Hajan Shah and their staff members who hosted and guided me
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION ........................................... 1
Spaces .............................................. 27
Bodies .............................................. 32
V. FINDINGS .............................................. 48
Space ............................................... 66
Performance ......................................... 70
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
heads and hands. Their hands are raised up in the air with
index fingers pointing towards the sky while the rest are
raise their right hand in the sky. They lower their right
hand and raise the left with the motion of the left leg. As
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the Divine.
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such as the Afghan war against the Soviet Union and later
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under the rules of the first four Caliphs: Abu Bakar, Umar,
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Arabic root word Suf that means wool. Prophet Muhammad and
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joyous occasion.
both Sunni and Shia - does not encourage dancing and music
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Qalandar.
the south of the country. Sindh took its name from the
rulers left their mark on the valley and on the culture and
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said that the Hindu temple of Seva once existed where the
(Mohammad, 1978).
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there. With his Sufi practices and gentle nature he won the
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The color red, lal, has been associated with him, which is
his eyes used to get red in the ecstatic state. His second
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the year without failing except for the ten days of the
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CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
whole event.
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in Sehwan.
attended the urs and reported the event and its dancing
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context.
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well as men.
shrines not only stem from a belief system but are also a
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the subcontinent.
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site) without any fear; they can cry, pray, wail or just
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CHAPTER III
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS
Spaces
sacred and the profane and posits that sacred and profane
people.
value while for the profane all spaces are homogenous and
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1959).
here nor there; they are betwixt and between the positions
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social phenomena.
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1993).
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open spaces where people can move around freely without any
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as usual.
Bodies
superstitious.
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the body and on the mechanism that made them more useful
from one node to the other and responded well to new needs
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culturally.
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of expression.
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p.21).
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These states help explain the needs of the body beyond its
(Kugle, 2007).
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CHAPTER IV
METHOD
as the most important tool in the field who uses his senses
and August 2012. I visited once before the urs in June and
after the urs in August, for two days on each trip. The urs
started on June 09, 2012 and I stayed in the city for four
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ceremonies that were not only exclusive to the urs but also
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any obtrusiveness.
expressions of devotion.
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through a camera.
activities.
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female company.
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one woman looked fully involved and almost fell flat on the
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CHAPTER V
FINDINGS
big golden dome with four minarets. There are two main
the city. Walking through the city near these areas becomes
portable beds and sleep, some under the tents and some
Also, the limits of the city expand as people use all areas
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shrine are lodges for fakirs and malangs who live there.
Shrine.
to the city. People from all over the country and abroad
Punjab.
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Lahore. He did not bring his wife and children at the urs
them during normal days. He has been attending the urs for
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income group doing menial jobs during the day and doing
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Allah), “It is our good luck that Lal Shahbaz came to our
country.”
thinks that people find peace here, “When people come and
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heat but as soon as they enter inside the shrine they feel
at peace... they come out and their feet burn again.” For
saint. Sana claims that she has been attending the festival
since she became an adult. “We wait for Lal’s urs the whole
Sana. Sana also comes at times other than the urs for
come to attend the urs feel they have a special call from
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come if he calls.”
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performing dhamaal.
air, their eyes closed, and their heads moving back and
back and forth faster than usual while moving their head
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the urs. People come from far and wide from within and
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the urs. “When Lal’s love comes over my head then I don’t
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clothes and any other thing... she didn’t feel shy... she
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my visit before the urs, who was dressed very simply and
money. “We earn all year long and come and dance here not
for earning.”
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humanity,” he asserted.
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and touch the grave of the saint. Some women sit within the
tomb and sing hymns. Some people recite verses from the
Holy Quran and pray for their needs. Everyone can pray in
methods.
poor, and some simply tie red (color associated with Lal)
food that serves about 3-4 dozen people).” One woman who
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came from Faisalabad said, “We come for mannat and all our
wishes are granted here.” Sana said, “We just pray in front
Some people also leave money there. At the urs, the act of
group brought one big red chador which they put on display
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shrine.
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CHAPTER VI
ANALYSIS
expression.
Space
the city of Sehwan where his tomb is located. The way city
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nooks and corners of the city. During the urs the city,
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four hour cycle for three days. During the urs the shrine
Night and day merge into each other as for three days
performed.
normative behavior.
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Performance
simply walk up to the tomb, and offer it. The same ritual
move through the city, onlookers admire the shrouds and the
objections.
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Embodied Expression
unique because the same bodies that normally shy away from
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miracles have also been linked with him that raise his
Islam in Pakistan.
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love for the saint and the Divine. Men, women, and
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outside.
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CHAPTER VII
CONCLUSION
of attraction.
body and its relation to the spaces. This may open scope
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REFERENCES CITED
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