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Ishq Di Jhanjhar — Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Punjabi Qawwali MP3
Ishq Di Jhanjhar — "the anklet of love" — draws on a specific piece of Punjabi folk imagery: the jhanjhar, the anklet worn by women in the subcontinent's classical dance and court traditions, whose jingling sound marks the presence of the beloved. In sufi poetry, the sound of the jhanjhar is the sound of divine love making itself known in the world — small, persistent, beautiful, impossible to ignore once you have heard it. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan carries this qawwali in the Punjabi folk-sufi tradition that most of his mehfil audiences knew from childhood.
The Symbolic Language of Punjabi Sufi Poetry
The folk imagery in Punjabi sufi poetry — the spinning wheel, the jhanjhar, the river at flood, the waiting woman — is deeply embedded in the agricultural culture of the Punjab. These were not arbitrary choices. The sufi poets used symbols that their audiences encountered in daily life so that the spiritual content could be understood not as remote or abstract but as intimately connected to the fabric of ordinary existence. Nusrat's voice carries this imagery with the ease of a man who grew up inside it.
Most of his qawwalis in this tradition are in Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu, and his audio and video formats are all accessible on iRulz without any additional software. Meher Ali and Ustad Badar Miandad Khan both work the same Punjabi folk-sufi territory from their respective positions in the tradition.
Stream or Download Free
Ishq Di Jhanjhar is available on iRulz for free online listening and urdu qawwali mp3 download. iRulz has paid homage to Nusrat's legacy by uploading numerous collections of his qawwali across all periods of his career.
FAQ
What is a jhanjhar? An anklet — a piece of jewelry worn around the ankle, traditionally associated with dance and femininity in South Asian culture, used in Punjabi sufi poetry as an image of the beloved's presence.
Is Punjabi sufi poetry related to bhakti poetry from the Hindu tradition? There are documented historical connections and shared imagery between the Punjabi sufi tradition and the bhakti movement — particularly in the work of Bulleh Shah and Kabir, who drew on each other's traditions.
Does Nusrat perform this in the traditional mehfil style or a studio arrangement? iRulz hosts multiple versions of many of his recordings. Check the specific format on the track page.
You may also enjoy the qawwali of Muazzam, Meher Ali, and Ustad Badar Miandad Khan. Listen to more qawwali of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.