Placing Afghan Music in South Asian History and Raga Theory by Dr. Waheedullah Saghar

The historical connections between the areas we now know as Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan are evident in many South Asian languages, economic ties, and centuries of shared musical traditions. Afghanistan’s diverse cultural landscape hosts many musical modalities; among them, the raga informs a great deal of classical, popular, and folk traditions. Through his own research and examples of raga theory as interpreted by Afghan musicians, performer and scholar Dr. Waheedullah Saghar will guide us through the musical spaces we share.

About the Series

The Law of Music: Ragas, Rhythms, and Imaginations from Afghanistan

Afghanistan's numerous musical and artistic legacies defy the global public imagination crafted by military occupiers. This is due not only to the wealth of indigenous traditions throughout this diverse country but also its roles throughout global history. Within South Asia, Afghan musical traditions draw heavily from raga modalities and share many of the same classical instruments. In contemporary history, Afghan musicians and the music industry fused easily with disco, rock, and pop, situating modern Afghan music within global sonic conversations.

Since August 15th, 2021, musicians have been displaced from public view in Afghanistan. Many have resettled abroad, while others (many awaiting evacuation) have formed part of a burgeoning artistic underground sharing their art anonymously on social media. We at Brooklyn Raga Massive stand with all Afghan musicians and musical traditions and want to build on the solidarities and connections shared amongst us. Our February Social Justice Series, "The Law of Music: Ragas, Rhythms, and Imaginations from Afghanistan" draws its name from the book "Qanun-e Tarab" ("The Law of Music") by the iconic Afghan klassiki singer Ustad Sarahang. Join us as we celebrate Afghan musicians - their expertise, their inspirations, and their stories, - and learn how we can support them in artistic and political solidarity.

These events are free. We encourage our audience members to contribute to this effort by our series partner, Sound Central. Please give if you can and share widely to help winterize and evacuate Afghan whirling dervishes. Support the mutual aid effort here.