Sixth World Sufi Spirit Festival kicks off in Jopdhpur

25 February, 2013

The sixth edition of the World Sufi Spirit Festival (WSSF) started at the Mehrangarh Fort on February 22 in Jodhpur with a great fanfare with local, national and international artists participating in it. The festival, hosted by the royal family of Jodhpur, will end on Febriary 27 at Ahichhatragarh Fort in Nagaur.

“The World Sufi Spirit Festival 2013 is all set to play host to some of the leading exponents of Sufism from across the borders, with the serene Mehrangarh and Ahichhatragarh Forts as the backdrop. The hallways, beautiful gardens and the intricately designed corridors will resonate with the enchanting sights and sounds once again this year,” informs the festival’s Facebook “Lit by the sparkling incandescence of a thousand candles, magnificent, inherited and spiritual arts will carry you to the very origin of a tradition linked to those pilgrims of the past, travellers of the spirit, who brought to civilisation a sense of inspiration and meaning. Through dance, music and singing, treasures of the Indian culture from Rajasthan and Kerala, nomadic poetry of the Silk Road from Kazakhstan to Afghanistan, Sufi rituals from Turkey or Egypt, will be revealed during this new festival,” the festival website says.

According to the WSSF organisers, the festival will showcase Sufi music of Egypt, Turkey, France, Pakistan, Mongolia and Afghanistan besides the Indian traditions from Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

WSSF director Alexandra de Cadaval said that it was for the second time that the festival is being held at Jodhpur, but it has already gained much popularity. “We are happy to see that it has already picked up in the second season. It is a very positive beginning for the festival," Cadaval said.

On the opening day, the participants enjoyed the performances from Harjiram and Okaram Meghwal, Bardic Divas, Ulzan Baibussynova, Raushan Orazbaeva and Nadira Pirmatova, Raza Khan, Chishtiya Group and Irfan Toufail Brothers, The Nile Sufi and Rabbi Shergill.

Rabbi Shergill sang "Challa", "Bulla ki jaana mai kaun", "Tere bin", and "Jugni" songs for the audience. According to him, Sufism was an inner reflection and a way of connecting with one's soul.