Kalaam-e-Mawla

Ginan is a South Asian Ismaili Muslim devotional song tradition rooted in the Satpanth ("true path") movement. Sung primarily in Old Gujarati, Sindhi, and related Indic languages, ginans are poetic hymns attributed to Ismaili pirs (missionaries) and are performed in communal settings (Jamatkhanas) as acts of remembrance, instruction, and spiritual contemplation. Musically, ginans draw on Hindustani melodic ideas, regional folk tune-types, and Bhakti/Sufi poetic imagery. Performances are typically unaccompanied or supported by harmonium, tabla, handclaps, and unison congregational singing. The texts explore metaphors of love and longing for the Divine, ethical living, and esoteric teachings, making the genre both a musical and theological pillar of the Khoja Ismaili community.