Shaam-e-Sukoon

By Suanshu Kurana, *Songs of the Mystics* - Indian Express -India
Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Earlier this year film-maker and music composer Muzaffar Ali wowed the Delhi audience with his brainchild, Jahan-e-Khusrau — a three-day sufi music festival to commemorate the death anniversary of Sufi saint Hazrat Amir Khusrau.

Now, two more musical events in the city are set to acquaint the audience with the works of sufi stalwarts like Amir Khusrau, Rumi, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti and Baba Bulleshah, on the occasion of World Music Day on June 19.

The first is Shaam-e-Sukoon, a festival being organised by the city-based Swar Dharohar. The two-day festival will open on June 19 with a performance by Delhi-based Niyaz Sabri, a third generation sufi singer.

“Sufi music is more like world music today. Everybody likes and appreciates it. Since Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti was one of the greatest sufi mystics of the country, most of my performance will have qalams by him,” says Sabri.

This will be followed by a session of sufiana qalams by Zafar Hayat Niyaz.

The second day of Shaam-e-Sukoon will feature ghazal singers Zulfi Khan and Yateesh Acharya.

The other event, the Sada-e-Sufi, organised by Husan Ara Trust at India Habitat Centre is scheduled for June 20. It will celebrate the life and works of the 13th century Muslim poet Mawlana Jalal-ud-Din Balkhi-Rumi with a performance by renowned Hyderabad-based qawwal Adil Hussain and his troupe.

Shaam-e-Sukoon will begin from 6.30 pm at Chinmaya Mission Auditorium, Lodhi Road, Delhi.
Sada-e-Sufi will begin from 7 pm at India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, Delhi. Contact 9811221788.