Mehfil

Mehfil (also spelled mahfil) is a celebration, typically with music. Or an evening of courtly entertainment poetry or concert of Qawalli, Sufi, Hindustani classical music, Bangladeshi, and more, performed for a small audience in an intimate setting.

Historically, mehfils were presented in the homes or palaces of Muslim royalty or noblemen, who acted as these artists' patrons.^[1] Mehfils are also an integral part of the Hyderabadi Muslim community, and used as a way of unity among them, all around the world.^[2]

Today they are generally held in the homes of especially avid music lovers or the lovers of poetry-recitation gatherings. Ghazals are a common genre performed at mehfils. Ghazal recitation gatherings are called 'Mehfil-e-Mushaira' in the Urdu language.

Etymology[]

The word mehfil derives from the Arabic word mehfil (Arabic: محفل), which means a (festive) "gathering to entertain (or praise someone)."

Mehfil-e-Naat is an Islamic mehfil (forum) in which people sit and recite poetry in the praise of the Prophet Muhammad.

Mehfil-e-Sama is a gathering held for Sufi devotional music such as Qawwali or prayer and chanting, Hadhra, part of Dhikr (remembrance of God).

Popular culture[]

Several mehfil performances may be seen in the Satyajit Ray film Jalsaghar (1958). In recent times, live onstage concert performances are also called 'Mehfil'.^[3] "The word 'Mehfil' generally means a place where a music or dance-performance is in progress."^[4]

See also[]

• Islamic poetry
• Urdu poetry
• Mawsim
• Tweeza

References[]

External links[]

• Pahenji Mehfil
• Mehfil Official Web
• article on Classical Music, Page describing mehfil, author: Deepika Singh, Published 8 May 2000, Retrieved 10 Jan 2017

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