Gear up for Sufi music, Jahan-e-Khusrau fest is here

Jahan-e-Khusrau is back with its 12th edition. From Indian names to Pakistani singer Abida Parveen and Mercan Dede from Istanbul, the festival promises to enthral music connoisseurs by presenting some of the eminent Sufi artists from across the world.

The three-day festival will take place at Arab ki Sarai, Humayun Tomb, starting March 1.

Presented by Rumi Foundation and designed and directed by filmmaker-painter Muzaffar Ali, the annual festival showcases the best of Sufi singers, dancers and musicians.

Other names to perform at the fest will be Astha Dixit, Deveshi Sahgal, Pernia Qureishi and Sonam Kalra from Delhi; and Nazeer Ahmad Warsi and Group from Hyderabad.

"One of our most important objectives for the festival has been to create a bridge between the East and the West and make audiences realise its universalism," said Muzaffar Ali, creative director of the festival.

"And to develop new audiences for contemporary Sufi music through attracting a broad mix of festival attendees - tourists, corporate entities, families and local residents, as well as contemporary Sufi music aficionados," he added.

Started in 2001, Jahan-e-Khusrau has become a regular feature in the cultural calendar of the country.