Divine

That's one word that defines the feelings of people who've attended the earlier editions of Jahan-E-Khusrau. The mystic festival is back

That's one word that defines the feelings of people who've attended the earlier editions of Jahan-E-Khusrau. The mystic festival is back

Yeh kya raaz hai saaqi-e-mast o bekhud, ye kyon tune nazre inaayet hata li/Wahi maikadaa hai magar soona soona, wahi jam-o-meena magar khaali khaali (The secret I seek to know, you lifted your drunken gaze of love, you who got me drunk/The tavern was found in its place without the dance, the goblet and the bar without a drop of wine ufffd)."

These words from a lovestruck Sahba Akbar Abadi, written centuries back, will soon be recreated by Hansraj Hans at Jahan e Khusrau, which is back in the city on Friday. This is the ninth edition of the popular Sufi music festival, and this time round, it is going international. So artistes from India and other countries will be enthralling audiences with their performances in London's Southbank Centre from April 15-17.

"I wanted to present the openness of India to the outside world. We will have the likes of Navtej Johar and Madan Gopal Singh join us in London," says Muzaffar Ali, director, Jahan e Khusrau.

from the pages of history
The venue in Delhi, however, couldn't have been more poignant. The fest is happening at a more poignant place. This time, it is being held at Arab ki Sarai inside Humayun's Tomb, a stone's throw from which is Chillah Nizamuddin Aulia, the patron saint of Delhi known for his Sufi renditions.

change is the only constant
So how has the festival changed over the years? "It is becoming more streamlined and professional. But we could do with more budgets. We have only one-third of what we need. There should be a strong corporate cultural responsibility. Right now they only look at events with glamour," says Ali.

pyaar, ishq, mohabbat
The theme this year is journey of the heart. There are lots of variations in the shades of poetry, says Ali. The artistes have been working on the various kalams for the last two months. Asked how many kalams he is going to perform, singer Hansraj Hans says: "Sufi music is about mood. Ho sake ke ek hi na khatam ho. Agar concentration ho jaye to dekhte hain kya hota hain."

Sufi music is about love and light, says Hans. "It is like therapy, good for your body and mind. Where there is Sufism, there is roshni and mohabbat," adds Hans. The singer, who is coming up with a Sufi album soon, will be performing kalams by Hazrat Amir Khusrau, Bulle Shah and Shah Hussain among others.

Sufi kathak dancer Manjari Chaturvedi has been associated with Jahan e Khusrau for long. "The festival has shaped up pretty well. So the expectation levels of spectators have also gone up. A lot of interesting collaborations are allowed to happen in this festival," says Chaturvedi on the changing face of the song and dance saga.u00a0

For this year's edition, Chaturvedi will be collaborating with Wajahat Hussain Badayuni from Badayun in Uttar Pradesh. "Their qawals are soft and melodious and follow Awadhi traditions. The qawali is dominated by the Awadhi style of singing," says the dancer.

Other artistes who will be performing at the event this year include the likes of Ustaad Shujaat Hussain Khan, Masood Habibi from Iran, Shafqat Ali Khan and Saami brothers from Pakistan among others. There will also be a celebration of spring. We suggest you book your passes.

Cut-n-keep schedule
Friday, March 11
6.30 pm
Voice of the East: Azalea Ray (Canada)
Echos from Iran: Masood Habibi (Iran)
Sufiana from Punjab: Hansraj Hans

Saturday, March 12
6.30 pm
Celebrating Basant: Malini Awasthi
Legacy of Khusrau: Chand Nizami (India) & Saami Brothers (Pakistan)