Set on a spiritual journey

Some spellbinding Sufi performances are in store for Sufi lovers as the National Centre of the Performing Arts (NCPA) plays host to the fifth edition of the Sufi festival Sama'a this week. A few glimpses of the event:

Egyptian Mawlawiyah group will perform on the first day of the festival

Whirl way on November 22:u00a0The festival begins with the screening of So Heddan, So Hoddan - a film by Anjali Monteiro and KP Jayasankar, which explores the lives of three cousins who strive to keep the legacy of the medieval Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai alive. This screening is followed by a performance titled Tannoura by an Egyptian Mawlawiyah group.

Dr Suvarnalata Das, head - programming (Indian Music), NCPA, says, "Tannoura is a unique dance of Egyptian origin, performed by the dervishes dressed in colourful skirts, symbolising the existence of human soul on spiritual planes. We have always strived to bring Sufi artistes from different parts of the world together each year and this year, it's the Mewlawiyah group that will stage the rich Egyptian heritage through their performance."

Melody magic on November 23:u00a0Well-known theatre personalities Salim Arif and Lubna Salim will read Sufi poems. "We will read poems written by renowned Sufi poets such as Rumi, Amir Khusrau Dehlavi, Kabir and others," says Arif. Lubna adds, "We researched the Bhakti movement and the Sufi movement and came across beautiful works of various poetesses such as Bahinabai, Akamma and Lalded. We will try to explore their works through our programme." The mystic ecstasy will continue with Wajahat Jaffar Badayuni troupe's Qawwali performance. Jaffar has inherited classical music from the Rampur Sahaswan gharana and Sufi music from his grand uncle Jaffar Hussain Badayuni and has performed extensively in India and overseas. "We belong to the Khwaja Garib Nawaz Dargah.

We will present the dargahi qawwalis which imbibe the true meaning of Sufism. We will start the performance with Khoula, a song composed by Amir Khusrau," says Jaffar.

A contemporary touch on November 24:u00a0The festival will conclude with Parthiv Gohil's presentation on contemporary Sufi compositions based on the traditional Sufi poems and songs popularised by legends such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He will also sing some famous Sufi songs from
Bollywood movies.

When: November 22-24
Where: NCPA, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point
Call: 22824567u00a0