Click to play videoAjmer: With the row over a proposed ban on the entry of women into the dargah (shrine) of Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer yet to settle down, another controversy has erupted.
The khadims (servers) of the shrine on Friday rudely cut short a Pakistani Sufi singer’s performance only because she happened to be a woman.
Mario Balos, an artiste from across the border, is a part of a 32-member Pakistani delegation who is in Ajmer to participate in an India-Pakistan festival. She was taken aback by the order.
"After the Qawwali I thought I would also present a Sufiana kalam, but someone came and told me to stop, so I thought if it's not allowed so be it," Mari Baluch said.
Singing Sufiana kalams is one of the centuries-old traditions still kept alive at the dargah and Mari's song would have just been a tribute to that.
The Pakistani delegation accompanying the singer was also taken by surprise.
"Ladies even perform dhamal at Kalander Shah's mazar. So ladies are not restricted at far as mysticism is concerned," Pakistani delegate Qamar Shahbaz said.
The khadims, say women are a distraction for men during their namaz and the prayers are rendered useless if they see a woman.
Members of the Anjuman Committee (union of khadims ) said that it was a centuries-old tradition that women could not sing in the shrine or participate in qawwali performances there.
"It was her wish and it couldn't be fulfilled so she must have been upset about it but we can't do anything, we're bound by tradition, this is the way it is," Joint Secretary, Anjuman Committee
Mehmood Hasan Chishti said.
Much before the furore caused by a proposed ban on the entry of women into the shrine, Sufi queen Abida Parveen had also sung there. However, she too had left behind a raging controversy.
With just three weeks to go for the before the annual Urs festival at the popular dargah, the debate over the entry of women is likely to intensify.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.