by Iqbal Ahmad
Kashmir’s Dhamali dance could be a possible offshoot of Rumi’s Darvish whirling, indicating shared spiritual symbolism, historical links, cultural decline, and the enduring Sufi legacy associated with the tradition.
One of the most forgotten performing arts, called Dhamali, is mostly practised by Dhamali Fakirs (saintly people), particularly the followers of Baba Naseeb ud Din Gazi, a seventeenth-century Muslim saint of Kashmir. Although this performing art has been classified as folk art, it is a type of imitation of the Sufi whirling dance, a somewhat similar tradition of the Whirling Dervishes, which is practised by the followers of Maulana Rumi’s Sufi order in Turkey. This is known for the Sema (whirling), a meditation through movement of the body and its parts, which symbolises the soul’s journey towards God.
A spiritual concept found across religions, most prominently expressed in Islam as “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘un” (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we shall return). This is a universal truth which mystics have explained through their actions and doctrines to the entire mankind.
In fact, there are many similarities between the two spiritual whirlings, but the Dhamali whirling of Kashmir did not get any such concurrence and has almost remained indigenous to its local Sufi traditions. While Rumi’s practice is widely known and has become a global symbol of peace, devotion, and spiritual harmony, recognised even outside the Muslim world, whether there is any connection or relationship between Dhamali and Rumi’s Dervish whirling needs to be explored.
Indeed, during the medieval and early medieval era, several Central Asian and Turkish arts are believed to have travelled to this land through migrations, traders, and religious travellers, which also included certain performing arts. In fact, this performing Sufi art may also have travelled to this land through Sufi missionaries. However, one thing is very clear: Rumi’s whirling is much older than Dhamali, and the two Sufi arts evolved in two distant lands and in two different periods, though the latter appears to be an imitation of the former.
Both dances carried spiritual messages of love, brotherhood, and the reality of this temporary world. These are mostly performed at Sufi events pertaining to learned Sufi saints during urs days, meaning the celebration of their union with God.
In this context, let us first try to understand the present status, origin, and similarities in these two Sufi whirlings.
A few decades back, Dhamali was considered one of the most popular spiritual dances of Kashmir and was played at major Sufi shrines, particularly at the most famous mystic site of Baba Naseeb ud Din Gazi at Bijbehara in south Kashmir. In fact, in Kashmir, it evolved from this shrine and spread to other Sufi shrines and to different cultural and social events within the Valley’s hamlets. However, it could not travel beyond this Valley, where its practice has nowadays considerably decreased.
Most of the community of artists, called Bhands or Dhamali Fakirs, have already given up the art and shifted to other trades, as for them this spiritual dance no longer earned any livelihood. The new social order and the indifference of the authorities, according to the artists, are the causes of the decline of this art.
Muhammad Ramzan Shah, who is in his eighties, while remembering his young-age days, says, “Those days have now become nostalgic, when Dhamali Fakirs were treated as dervishes and esteemed artists. People had a spiritual association with Dhamali and considered us one of the means of connecting with God. We would dance to the tunes of the dhol while raising our hands and would pray for the peace and prosperity of our nation. Indeed, there would be individual prayers as well. People would share their grief and anxiety with us and would compel us to raise our hands for their respective prayers (dua) to seek forgiveness from God.”
In fact, things seem to have changed so fast that this dance has not only lost its sanctity but also its social and cultural acceptance. The artists associated with this trade feel socially alienated; they say people no longer like the dance and treat it as a somewhat inferior form of art. They claim that even their grown-ups do not like to be called sons of Bhands or Dhamali Fakirs. Unfortunately, the term Fakir in local terminology stands misunderstood as one associated with alms, whereas in Muslim tradition it refers to a holy person who has distanced himself from worldly tastes and adopted a spiritual way of life.
Ghulam Rasool Shah, while seconding these views, says, “The government never took this art seriously, and the artists had to face difficult times. The Dhamali dance of Kashmir was neither reorganised nor recognised as an institutional art. It was only recognised at local Sufi, social, and cultural levels, which, with changes in the social and cultural fabric, also lost its acceptance.”
Since in its last phase it also lost its spiritual sanctity, and with the expansion of conservative religious thought, advancement of science and technology, and the availability of other entertainment sources, this centuries-old spiritual dance has almost become extinct in its nourishing belts.
Many people are not aware of the essence of this traditional dance and often question its social and cultural validity. However, cultural history bears witness to the fact that this dance has been one of the most significant performing arts of Kashmir and until the late nineties was performed not only at Sufi shrines but also at general social and cultural events.
Traditions suggest that this Dhamali dance was basically an imitation of a spiritual dance called Sufi whirling or Semazen, borrowed from Persian Sama-zan: sama meaning listening, and zan meaning doer. It is a form of physically active meditation which originated among certain Sufi groups and is still practised by the Sufi dervishes of the Mevlevi order and other orders such as the Rifa‘i-Marufi.
Whirling Dervishes, followers of Rumi, formed the Mevlevi Sufi order, known for the Sema (whirling): a meditation through movement symbolising the soul’s journey towards God. This practice has become a global symbol of peace, devotion, and spiritual harmony, recognised even outside Islam.
It aims to reach a greater connection with Allah and His beloved Prophet. This is sought through abandoning one’s nafs (ego or personal desires), focusing on God, and spinning the body in repetitive circles, which is seen as a symbolic imitation of planets in the solar system orbiting the sun.
Originally, this Darvish dance evolved in Turkey in the thirteenth century AD during the time of the great Sufi mystic Maulana Rumi (RA). It is said that his followers and his son, Sultan Walad, founded the Mawlawiyah Sufi order, also known as the Order of the Whirling Dervishes, famous for its Sufi dance known as the Sama ceremony. The people who perform this Sama are called dervishes and are held in high regard by the Sufis of Turkey.
It is at this Sufi centre that the followers of Rumi’s school of thought gather at his tomb and present Sama. The followers first make circles and then dance while standing in a chorus. The spinning represents the movement of the universe—planets orbiting the sun. One hand is turned upward to receive divine grace, and the other downward to pass it on to the world. The goal is inner purification, humility, and closeness to God, not performance or entertainment.
Indeed, Maulana Rumi stands as a rare Sufi saint whose teachings belong to humanity as a whole. Rooted deeply in Islam yet open to all hearts, his legacy shows that true spirituality dissolves boundaries rather than building them.
Perhaps it was from there that this Sufi practice travelled to Central Asian states and also reached Kashmir. While reaching Kashmir, it changed its order and name from Darvish dance to Dhamali dance. In the Kashmiri form, performers also added the double-sided dhol (drumbeating). The dervishes would come in groups with dhol beaters, in their distinctive dresses and with distinctive flags symbolising their respective group identities.
They would first make circles, and then, within these circles, take turns making jumping steps to the tunes of the dhol. The dancer would go deep into the tunes of the dhol, which itself became a form of meditation. Several dancers would not stop until they fell unconscious. They were then taken away from the chorus, and the next performer would begin. The performance continued until all performers completed their dance. In conclusion, all performers would join the chorus and raise their hands upward for prayers. The entire concert reflected a spiritual meditation in which not only the performers but also the spectators became deeply immersed.
Many Kashmiri Sufis followed and promoted this practice in their respective khanqahs. This spiritual whirling spread to distant parts of the Valley and became the traditional performing art of Kashmir. Gradually, it turned less spiritual and more entertaining. The performers came to be known as Fakirs and Bhands, which later developed into a distinct community.
Baba Naseeb ud Din Gazi (RA), one of the most learned Sufis of this land, was also influenced by the Mawlawiyah Sufi order and adopted this practice for spiritual pursuits. This spiritual dance helped him connect people with his khanqah, where he distributed alms among orphans and the poor and involved people in social and public works.
Baba Naseeb ud Din Gazi’s khanqah is situated at Baba Mohalla in the historic town of Bijbehara in south Kashmir. He is also titled Abul Fuqra (Father of the Poor). It is said that the saint spent his entire life caring for orphans, the poor, and the destitute, and building khanqahs, mosques, and resting places. A curious legend associated with this saint states that about 1,200 khanqahs and mosques were built by him.
The spiritual dance was also used to call people for participation in public works and construction. This tradition continued for a long time, and the spiritual dance became permanently associated with his shrine and other Sufi shrines of the land.
However, a time came when the Darvish or Dhamali dance could no longer preserve its spiritual sanctity. Performers turned into entertainers rather than Sufi practitioners. Since they did not respect their art, it resulted in their own disrespect. The community became neglected and marginalised.
In fact, most people could not understand the real meaning of Fakir and the spiritual essence of this dance. The performers also failed to carry forward their spiritual legacy and tampered with its basic tenets. Gradually, it merged with the folk dances of the region.
Presently, the Dhamali institution is in shambles, and the artists associated with it have shifted to other trades. Although the centuries-old Dhamali dance has largely been forgotten, the literary and spiritual contributions of Abul Fuqra Baba Naseeb ud Din Gazi (RA) continue to be endorsed through his teachings and the performance of Dhamali during his annual urs.
Like Rumi, his message of love, brotherhood, and generosity stood for all humanity, particularly the downtrodden, earning him great reverence across Kashmir.
(The writer is a senior archaeologist. Ideas are personal.)
