Warsi Brothers are an Indian Qawwali musical group, consisting of brothers Nazeer Ahmed Khan Warsi and Naseer Ahmed Khan Warsi (the Qawwāls), along with eight accompanists (the humnawa or party). They are based in Hyderabad.

Warsi Brothers
Born
Nazeer Ahmad Khan Warsi and Naseer Ahmad Khan Warsi

OccupationQawwali singing group
AwardsSangeet Natak Akademi Award (2014)

Family of qawwals

edit

Nazeer and Naseer are the sons of Zaheer Ahmed Khan Warsi, who along with his father, Aziz Ahmed Khan Warsi, constituted the previous incarnation of the Warsi Brothers. Muhammed Siddique Khan, an ancestor of the Warsi brothers, was a singer in the Mughal durbar. In 1857, when the Mughal empire dissolved, he became a court singer for the Nizam of Hyderabad. Muhammed Siddique Khan was the nephew of Tanrus Khan.[1][2]

Career

edit

Warsi Brothers carry on their legacy by touring all over the world and are known for their intense performances.[3] They perform Amir Khusro's qawwalis in their classical style. They are the music bearers of the gayeki of Delhi gharana and are noted for their melody and improvisation. They are renowned for their traditional Sufiana Qawwali, Ghazals, Thumri, Bhajans based on Hindustani classical music.[3][2]

Awards and recognition

edit

The Warsi Brothers jointly received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for their contribution to Qawwali in 2014.[2][4] Nazeer Ahmed Khan Warsi and Naseer Ahmed Khan Warsi and Brothers have performed concerts in a number of cities in India as well as in many other countries.[2][4]

They perform at the dargah of Syed Shah Yousufuddin in Nampally every Thursday night starting from midnight.[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Papri Paul (21 June 2017). "Wah! This Hyderabadi family has been carrying forward the legacy of qawwali for over 900 years". Times of India (newspaper). Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Warsi Brothers". India Today (newspaper). 7 November 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b K. Pradeep (27 November 2014). "Music of the mystics". The Hindu (newspaper). Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Sufiyana Qawwali by Warsi Brothers at University of Hyderabad". University of Hyderabad Herald website. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.