The performance kept going strong after midnight. In fact, many great musicians come on towards the end at these events, so things only got better as the night went on, but it is a test of endurance to stay up and enjoy so many hours of continuos music.
Even at my most tired, I could not help but appreciate a particular classical singer, or a folk set. I admit, I looked up at the sky now and then, hoping for those first rays of sunlight several times. After an unending night, the sun did start to come out, but the performances, which usually end with the morning prayer, continued. The massive security details and VVIP folks were long gone. Ustad Anb Jogi frinally packed his dholak, exhausted. I walked backstage and met up with him at last. He had just returned from shows in Dubai and gone straight into rehearsing singers for my project and then this was his second night at the Urs. performing the whole night. I was amazed he was still standing. We waited by the bus as a few more acts could be heard on stage. The last one was actually pretty off key and seemed to go on a bit too long, as each musician wanted to pay their respects by performing.
Finally, the show ended, and musicians began to trickle out to the bus. We hit the road with a bus full of sleeping musicians. I was lucky to get dropped off at the railway crossing in Jamshoro, instead of going all the way back in to town. From there, it was simple to get a shared rickshaw for RS. 10 and head back to the hostel.I spent the day in and out of naps and working on my blog, glad to have gone to the Urs.