Gear up for some soulful music as the eleventh edition of Ruhaniyat — one of the biggest Sufi music festival in Asia — comes to the city.
Known to bring on the stage the remote and rural tunes, the two-day long festival is truly a celebration of the folk artists — the actual practitioners of mystic traditions who express complex and deep thoughts in the most enchanting manner.
Says founder, organiser Nandini Mahesh, "For us 2011 is very special as now Ruhaniyat has entered the second decade. It has been a long journey and a very demanding one, with the festival travelling to seven cities of India. But, it has also been a deeply satisfying one too and, it is far from complete. There are so many forms which are amazingly powerful, orally passed down from generation to generation across centuries, hidden in various parts of our country. The carriers of these living traditions create an absolutely enchanting tapestry of music."
This time around, the Mumbai version of the festival will feature some unique and unheard of forms of rural rhythms.
"We are forms like Devaram hymns by Nayanmars from Tamil Nadu; these are ancient hymns that date back to seventh century. Another highlight is Waee from Kutch, a one of its kind stylised rendition of Shah Latif's works. Mystic Shabads, Kabirbani and Zikr are the other brilliant forms that will be featured this year," explains Nandini.
And that's not all. Also performing at the event will be guest artists Whirling Dervishes from Turkey.
Another highlight is the first ever performance of Polyphony, which will be presented on both the days.
The festival that opens at the historic Purana Qila in Delhi, will be held in Mumbai on the weekend, and will then travel to Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune.
When & where?
Saturday and Sunday. 6.30 pm at Horniman Circle Gardens
Picture: Kabir Bani by Mukhtiyar Ali
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