Music, memories, and mission at Jashn-e-Qawwali 2025

Music, dance, and compassion came together at Kamani Auditorium on September 12, as more than 650 people gathered for Jashn-e-Qawwali 2025, a fundraising concert organised by the Delhi-based NGO Wishes and Blessings. The evening, filled with traditional qawwali and spontaneous celebration, carried a single purpose — to raise funds for a permanent facility for Mann Ka Tilak, the NGO’s old age home for abandoned and neglected elders.

The spotlight was on the celebrated Niazi Nizami Brothers, torchbearers of the Hapur Gharana and resident qawwals of the Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah. Their renditions of Chaap Tilak, Khwaja Mere Khwaja, Kali Kali Zulfon Ke, Hasta Hua Noorani Chehra and Dama Dam Mast Kalandar drew the audience into a rare “dance qawwali” experience. Clapping, singing, and even dancing in the aisles, the crowd repeatedly called the performers back for encores, blurring the line between stage and floor.

A 750-year-old legacy

“The way we performed here and the love we received from the audience was beyond words. Tickets were sold out even before the programme began,” the brothers reflected. They added that they were grateful to Wishes and Blessings for choosing them for such a noble cause and urged everyone to support the organisation’s work.

They spoke of the deeper roots of their music. “This legacy comes from the court of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya Mahbub-e-Ilahi. Our forefathers and ancestors have been connected with the dargah, and we continue to serve through qawwali. This legacy will never end — it will continue till the end of time, because it carries the blessings of the saints and the Almighty. The times will change, but this will not stop,” they said.

Performing for a cause, they explained, felt different. “When you perform for an NGO like Wishes and Blessings, whose very name carries compassion, it changes the atmosphere. People were not only enjoying the music but also connecting with the purpose. We are spreading love and affection through our singing, just as our elders taught us.”

The mission of Mann Ka Tilak

Amid the infectious joy, the evening remained rooted in its mission. Since its inception in 2018, Mann Ka Tilak has sheltered over 280 elders, offering free food, medicine, counselling, and dignity to those abandoned by their families. But its limited capacity has left many waiting. Proceeds from the event will help establish a larger, permanent home, ensuring no senior is turned away.

Founder’s vision and journey

For Geetanjali Chopra, founder of Wishes and Blessings, Jashn-e-Qawwali has grown into a tradition with a clear trajectory. “Our first show in 2021, during the Covid crisis, was online through BookMyShow and helped raise funds for the Niazi brothers of Rampur. The second edition in 2023 brought in the Nizami Bandhu, supporting our skill development centre Sahas. In 2024, with the third edition, we launched our community kitchens in Assam and Delhi, which now provide food to 2,200 people daily. This fourth edition is dedicated to making Mann Ka Tilak a permanent home,” she said.

Urgency and long-term plans

Chopra emphasised the urgency. “Our old age home is on rented premises. If it’s taken away, these same people — who have finally begun to smile again — will be abandoned and heartbroken once more. That is something we cannot allow. We want to build a permanent home.”

Calling the event a milestone, she added, “Yes, it was the first step towards a very big dream. But it was a very successful, jam-packed, houseful event. Buying land and building an ashram is a long road, but it is the only way to give our seniors lasting dignity.”

A personal mission

The cause, Chopra explained, is personal. “I was very close to my own grandparents, and I started this in their memory. I lost three of them, but I feel I’ve gained a whole new family at Mann Ka Tilak.”

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Her message to the audience was simple: “Carry the echoes of Jashn-e-Qawwali in your hearts. Bring compassion into your lives, and support us in whichever way you can, so that the dream of a permanent home becomes a reality.”

Music as a force for social change

The Niazi Nizami Brothers, too, highlighted music’s transformative power. “Qawwali has always changed with the times — from dafali to tabla, from sitar to harmonium, and now to keyboards and octapads. But its purpose has never changed: to spread love, unity, and brotherhood. All our elders had one mission — that love should increase, that bonds between people should grow. We see tonight as part of that mission. The audience here gave us immense love and blessings, and we are deeply grateful.”

Closing notes

The evening closed on a note that lingered with the audience: together, Delhi could build a home that will outlast them all — a sanctuary for elders to live with dignity and love.

The event had the support of District by Zomato, Uniparts India, Mark Exhaust Systems Limited, PowerSpack Automotives, AIMIL Ltd, Roadzen Technologies, and Ena J Singh Fine Jewellery.

Founded in 2014, Wishes and Blessings is active across eight states in India, working across six key areas including education, nutrition, elder care, relief, and customised charity. With Mann Ka Tilak as one of its flagship initiatives, the NGO continues to stand at the intersection of donors and beneficiaries, ensuring that compassion is not just a sentiment, but an actionable change.