A Sufi cultural bonanza

The Sufi music and dance festival, Jahan-e-Khusrau, is back this year. Organised by the Rumi Foundation and filmmaker and fashion designer Muzaffar Ali, this year, the festival will take place in Delhi at the Arab ki Sarai in the Humayun’s Tomb complex for three days of performances.

This year’s performances will revolve around a two-part ballet called Yamuna: Dariya Prem Ka directed by Ali. The first part will be performed on 9 March, the opening day of the festival, and the second part on its closing day, 11 March. This ballet pays tribute to the cultural importance of the Yamuna, as well as the syncretic nature of Sufi music. It brings together vocalists Barnali Chattopadhyay and Archana Shah and kathak performances by the dancer Astha Dixit and her group. Speaking to Lounge about the ballet, Ali says, “The ballet on the Yamuna river goes through the history, mythology and the romance of the river and a lot of reflection of the Yamuna’s feelings expressed through Sufi poetry."

Other performances will include those by the folk-singer Malini Awasthi from Lucknow and singer Kanwar Grewal from Punjab on 9 March; ghazal singer Pooja Gaitonde, Chattopadhyay and Kailash Kher on 10 March; and Shubha Mudgal and Hans Raj Hans on 11 March. Apart from these performances, there will also be a recitation of Sufi poetry by the actor Murad Ali on 9 March, where he will be backed by an international ensemble of musicians.

The 13th edition of the Jahan-e-Khusrau will be held in Arab Ki Sarai, Humayun’s Tomb Monuments, New Delhi on 9, 10 and 11 March. For bookings and information, visit www.jahan-e-khusrau.com