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Sacred Spirit Festival

Mehrangarh Fort . Jodhpur

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Artist details

Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt

Shubha Mudgal

Amaan Ali Bangash and
Ayaan Ali Bangash

Eleman Kanybekov and
Kamuz Aibek Kanybekov

Sanjeev Shankar &
Ashvini Shankar

Rajendra Prasanna & sons

Madan Gopal Singh &
Char Yaar Ensemble

Mir Mukhtiyar Ali

Parvathy Baul

Ilyas Arabov

Lobsang Chonzor

Abhishek Mishra

Juan Carmona

Cherif Mbaw

Pedro Javier Gonzalez

ANURADHA PAL'S STREE SHAKTI
(India's first all-girl Hindustani Carnatic fusion band)

Bakhor Dance Ensemble

Dr. Jyotsna Srikanth

J. A. Jayant

Hatan Ensemble Mongolia

Sonam Kalra

Loup Barrow

Mandolin UP Raju and family

Pandit Vishwa-Mohan-Bhatt

Smadj

Char Yaar

Justin Adams

Manganiyar Children

Danish Hussain Badayuni

Farooq Ahmad Ganie

Fanâ

Rakesh Chaurasia

Areej Sufi Ensemble

Duo Bud

Kanishk Seth

Dhrupad Duet- Rudraveena

Ustad Bahauddin Dagar with vocal-Pelva Naik

Walid Ben Selim

Sheikh Papa Djimbira Sow

Kavita Seth

Loten Namling

Sufi Rang

Mir Mukhtiyar Ali

Jiye Jaisaan

Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur – Rajasthan
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Picture Credits – Neil Greentree and David Horsman

Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Mohan Vînâ,
Salil Bhatt, Mohan Vînâ,
Ankit Bhatt, Sitar

After presenting last year the “Desert Slide” project, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhat is back to Jodhpur, This time it's tempos and rags will slide on the lake of Jaswant Thada
Through his ingenious creation, the Mohan Veena, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has mesmerized audiences the world over. The transformative design and shape, the addition of 14 more strings to the Hawaiian guitar, Vishwamohan ji’s Midas touch has not only taken Mohan Veena to unimaginable heights but has also cast a magic spell on the global audiences by showing perfect amalgamation of sitar, sarod, and veena techniques through his performances.
Pandit ji is the most expressive, gifted, and greatest slide player today, who can play at bedazzling speeds. Through Mohan Veena, Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt has created a distinctive blend of Indian and Western classical music, being even sometimes a real rocker!

The Diva of the Soul

As noticed by the famous London Darbar Festival : Shubha Mudgal’s voice is at once primal and contemporary. Her markedly individual style of khayal (a dominant form of North Indian classical vocal music stemming from the Persian word for imagination) freely explores long sustained notes balancing acrobatic melodising. She is known for her detailed lyrical study, regularly singing poems by Sufi saints and medieval mystics, as well as her contemporary relevance through popular records.

Like the art form itself, Mudgal’s embrace of Indian classical music is holistic. “There is enough repertoire in circulation even today to prove that this system celebrates all aspects of life and living, from nature to wisdom, the sensual as well as the sublime,” she says.

As a living legend in the industry and probably the finest classical musician in India today, Mudgal’s own mastery and skill are nonpareil. There is a lyrical luminosity to her singing, which brings forth the purity of the raga and depth of heritage with almost elemental force
Born in Allahabad to two Professors of English Literature, Mudgal’s versatile style is the result of study with a wide range of gurus - notably Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’, Vinaya Chandra Maudgalya, Vasant Thakar, Jitendra Abhisheki, Kumar Gandharva, and Naina Devi.

As a result, Mudgal’s specialty lies in khayal and thumri-dada, but the richness of her voice also has unbelievable malleability and tonal flexibility.

The sarod, which probably appeared in the first half of the 19th century, is inextricably linked with the history of the Afghan rabab, introduced to India during the migration of numerous Pathan mercenaries from Afghanistan in previous centuries.
It is through two brothers born to an illustrious father: Amjad Ali Khan that the sarod is meeting the flamenco guitar.
Prestigious musicians, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash represent the seventh generation of a musical lineage known as the Senia Bangash School. Sons and disciples of the Sarod icon Amjad Ali Khan, and grandson of Haafiz Ali Khan, both brothers stepped into the world of music and the Sarod with confidence, clarity, consistency and the technical mastery that they learned at their father’s knees.

The Komuz, the nomadic lute of Kyrgyzstan

The long-necked lute komuz, like most of the lutes of Central Asia , is part of the great tradition of the bards, founding figures in the history of nomadic peoples of Turkmen origin.
In Kyrgyzstan, the founding figure of the bard is Dede Korkut. With the arrival of Islam, in this end-of-times atmosphere, the horsemen of the apocalypse, the Türk-Oghuz - a name to which we attribute the origin of the word "ogre" - did experience a transition: the passage to Islam and the end of nomadic life, which they begin to dream about and idealize.
It is this "nomadic spirit" that lies at the heart of the epic tale of Dede Korkut, the creator of the komuz lute. This lute, which expresses the gallop of the horse, restores a people's idea of its identity and fundamental values.

The Shankar Brothers
The Art of Shenaï from the “Banaras Gharana”

 

The conical double-reed Shenai oboe is the wind instrument par excellence whose powerful, hypnotic tones, like those of its Eastern cousins the Turkish zurna, the Egyptian mizmar or the Maghreb ghaïta, convey the idea of a powerful trance, whether played in temples or in ancient traditional military orchestras.

Born in a family of musicians of Banaras gharana in which Shehnai & flute are played for the last 450 years and over, Sanjeev & Ashwani manifested their strong affinity towards music at the age of seven and five. Their father Pt. Daya Shankar, himself an internationally acclaimed Shehnai player, boosted his sons’ blooming talent to flourish with his personal inspiration and guidance. Sanjeev & Ashwani also had the privilege to learn Shehnai from their grandfather, the legendary Shehnai player Pt. Anant Lal

Born in Varanasi, the Master Rajendra Prasanna grew up in a family of musicians who traditionally played the shehnai, a tradition deeply rooted in the city of Varanasi, and the bansuri flute, which they have handed down from father to son for several generations.

His father, Raghunath Prasanna, features in the famous anthology of Indian classical music published by UNESCO, recorded by Alain Daniélou in the 50s. Associated with the two instruments (flute and oboe), the Prasanna name became discreetly famous in the world of classical music alongside two great masters closely linked to the family: Hariprasad Chaurasia, initiated to the bansuri flute by Bholanath Prasanna, and Bismillah Khan, with whom Vishnu Prasanna played his oboe for many years. Rajendra Prasanna embodies and transcends this heritage. And is today one of the greatest exponents of his tradition, which he carries throughout the world.

His three sons, Rajesh, Rishab and Ritesh, have followed in their father's and master's footsteps, and their careers as flautists have taken them to the four corners of the globe in

musical worlds that go far beyond Hindustani music. But the family heritage and tradition remain intact.

Poet, bard, Madan Gopal carries in him all the spirit of this festival.
Beyond a career as a writer, scriptwriter and poet like his father, the famous master of Punjabi poetry Harbhajan Singh, Madan Gopal is a true bard in the great tradition of Sufi and ancient poets who crossed mountains and deserts, bearers of sacred words. By himself, he represents the whole philosophy of this festival.
In a universal vision, he can sing the poetry of famous Sufi poets like Rumi, Shah Husain, Sultan Bahu, Baba Bulle Shah as well as the poetry of Bob Dylan or John Lennon.
Rooted to Sufi tradition, part of the Mirasi community of Bikaner area, Mukhtiyar began his musical journey with Sufiana Qalam and extends it to all forms of spiritual expression of poetry like Kafi, Qawwali, Ghazal, Bhajan and KabirVani. His very precise and refined soft voice breeds emotion and a state of full peacefulness.
The Mirasi music and traditional dance community from North India and Pakistan holds their name from the Arabic word mīrās, which means inheritance or sometimes heritage.

“My compassion boat
is filled with gold of nothingness
I have no space for any other

Oh Kamli, you have rowed your boat for many lives
you row your boat towards the sky”

In the East, for centuries, Baul bards and yogis wandered along the dusty roads of Bengal singing and dancing with joy in praise of God. Their poetry-songs uplifted ordinary people, transporting all above the daily grind for survival and into a direct experience of the sublime, celebrating the rivers and the wind as a spiritual hymn.
Parvathy Baul, who is internationally-acclaimed for her Baul song and dance sequences is also a real inspired poet and also painter.
Parvathy Baul has immersed herself in the oldest style of Baul song and dance performance. Having travelled extensively throughout West Bengal to meet different Baul and Fakir Masters to share knowledge and songs with them, Parvathy Baul has developed into one of the very few women who has successfully withstood the hardships of the practitioner’s way of living.

"If you want to know what you were in the past, look at what you are today.

And if you want to know what you'll be in the future, look at what you're doing today.”

Tibetan Proverb

Born in India to Tibetan parents in exile, Lobsang Chonzor was introduced to traditional Tibetan dance, music and singing at an early age. These apprenticeships defined his identity and his way of life, and marked both the man and the artist in the making.

As a member of the Gangjong Doegar troupe from his hometown of Kalimpong, he is keen to offer a traditional repertoire faithful to the teachings he has received.

His role as an artist enables him to raise public awareness of the richness of this endangered culture, while at the same time drawing inspiration from the many cultural influences that have marked his career: in India, and in neighbouring countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, etc.

It is at Jerez de la Frontera, the cradle of flamenco in Spain,
that Juan Carmona found the originality of his art. Absorbing the flamenco tradition, it côtoiera and will accompany the biggest names of flamenco such as Joaquín Grilo, Agujetas, Duquende, Antonio Canales, Chano Domínguez and many others.
Having the same curiosity as Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, he will later, as a real virtuoso, chained the musical collaborations such as; Larry Coryell, Marcus Miller, Jan Garbarek, Trilok Gurtu and even great indian master L. Subramanian.

Praised by the leading figures of flamenco, Juan Carmona wanders on the airways of the “duende”. At the intersection between musical modernity and traditions the oldest flamenco and liveliest of Andalusia, Juan Carmona is an innovator, one of the most valiant links of his generation.

The first ever, ground-breaking all-girl Hindustani-Carnatic fusion ensemble Anuradha Pal's Stree Shakti has dazzled audiences at some of the most prestigious International music festivals, with a passionate celebration of woman power and mesmerizing performances by several leading female Hindustani & Carnatic musicians led & composed by ‘Rhythm Queen’ Pandita Anuradha Pal on Tabla, Pakhawaj, Djembe, Udu, Udukku, Dholak, Bongo and Handsonic.

Radhika Srinivasan on Carnatic Violin,

Paromita Mukherjee on Harmonium & Hindustani Violin,

Ramya Ramesh on Ghatam.

R. Krishnapriya on Kanjira.

ANURADHA PAL’S STREE SHAKTI was founded by the first professional female Tabla maestro in the world, to challenge gender stereotypes and provide a platform for other women artists to showcase their immense talent on a world stage. ANURADHA PAL’S STREE SHAKTI band has performed at prestigious International Music festivals like WOMAD (for 1.5 lakh fans), Rhythm Sticks, BBC Music Live, among various others in UK, USA, Europe, India, Africa & the far East and was hailed as the "Indian Spice Girls" by Rockstar Sting.

PANDITA ANURADHA PAL

President awardee Tabla maestro Anuradha Pal has been widely hailed for her 'profound creativity, tremendous clarity and a fine tonal quality', which coupled with her musical spontaneity, distinguishes her as 'one of the world's leading, most innovative and celebrated percussionists and composers' (Bangkok Post 2006). Through her many vibrant rhythmic innovations (like her interactive Anuradha's Tablas Sing Stories) and cross-cultural collaborations (Jazz, African, Latin, Flamenco, Western Classical, Choral music); she has captivated International audiences performing over 5000 concerts across 30 countries and holds the distinction of being the first and youngest female Indian musician to perform at Woodstock and WOMAD festivals for 400,000 & 150,000 fans respectively.

Dr Jyotsna Srikanth is an Indian violinist and composer, performing Carnatic music and Western classical music. Jyotsna's music training began with Carnatic vocals at age five under her mother. Her first solo concert was at the age of nine.

Following her marriage, she moved to London, where she expanded her repertoire to music scores for documentaries (on Discovery and National Geographic), teleserials, besides performing at global music events such as WOMAD, the Red Violin Festival, the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival, and the BBC Proms.

Dr Jyotsna also performs jazz and fusion, and has set up a troupe called Fusion Dreams. She has collaborated with the classical guitarist Simon Thacker, and the flamenco/jazz guitarist Eduardo Niebla as well as Fado saxophonist Rão Kyao. In 2008, she received a Fellowship in Carnatic Music from the Trinity College of Music, London.

J. A. Jayant, affectionately called as “Flute Jayanth” was born in a musical family. He began his early training on bamboo flute in the Indian classical music tradition of guru-shishya parampara. At the age of five, he got training from his grandfather and guru, Late Kalaimamani Flute T. S. Sankaran; Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee and a prime disciple of the legendary artist Flute Mali.Jayant has a unique, virtuoso fingering and flute blowing technique to present his music beautifully even in the very difficult lower octaves on the bass and double-bass thick-walled bamboo flutes, while maintaining Shruthi, suddham (perfect pitching) and excellent tonal quality. His expressive, bhava - laden rendering brings out the depth and soul of the lyrical aspects of compositions he presents (Gayaki - form). It gathers a lasting appreciation from Rasika (music lovers).

Interestingly, he is the first Carnatic flutist to unveil Double Bass Bansuri flutes casting a meditative spell on the listeners.

Established in 2013, Hatan (Queen) is the first all-female Mongolian ensemble based outside of Mongolia. Trained in Ulaanbaatar in reference schools for traditional music, the group performs internationally. Their music is a connection to the environment that connects the listener to the musical vibrations.

The vocal techniques used are the best known in Mongolia: the famous khöömii (throat- singing), in which a person produces several sounds simultaneously with his voice; or the urtyn duu (long song) in which the singer goes from chest voice to falsetto, adorning the beauty of the poem with glissandi and all sorts of melismas. The instruments are both those of the nomads (tovshuur and dombra lutes; morin khuur horse-head fiddle) and court music (yatga zither, shudraga lute). They take up the rhythm and the pace of the animals and cross the immense expanses of the steppe, the mountains, the desert, the great lakes.

The choreography of the dance sometimes recalls shamanism and takes up the gestures of the daily life of the nomads with the dance of mimes (bie biyelgee). Apart from its female representation, the originality of the group lies in the use of a large repertoire, beautiful compositions and the presence of one of the first female professional specializing in khöömii.

Sonam Kalra, trained in both Indian and Western traditions of music will be performing at the Sacred Spirit Festival, 2023.

Sonam’s unique brainchild, ‘Sonam Kalra & The Sufi Gospel Project’ which blends the many voices of faith, through poetry, prayer and music, create one universal voice. Traditional western gospels combined with Indian classical sounds, and eastern spiritual texts are enriched by elements of western poetry to create a sound that touches every soul. The Sikh morning prayer blends into the lilting strains of Amazing Grace, Sufi saint Kabir Das’s word find resonance in the hymn “Abide with Me”, Punjabi Poet Baba Bulleh Shah’s voice is juxtaposed with Persian poetry and English and Gaelic texts flow into Amir Khusrau’s poetry while a Buddhist chant gently shares the stage with a Sufi Qata.

Sonam has learnt Hindustani Classical music from Smt. Shubha Mudgal and Pt. Sarathi Chatterjee. Her vast research into understanding Sufism and its true essence and her unique creative and contemporary interpretation of it has been greatly appreciated across the world.

Loup Barrow is a talented composer capable of writing both orchestral pieces and more minimalistic compositions. Renowned for his great expertise with the Cristal Baschet – the last polyphonic instrument invented in the 20th century in Paris, Loup Barrow has made this rare instrument his speciality. While on a trip in Venice, he discovered the Glass Harp and decided to craft one himself on his return to France. His practice on the Glass Harp sharpened his curiosity for enigmatic instruments, and soon he discovered the Cristal Baschet. Loup went to Paris to meet one of the inventors of this instrument; Bernard Baschet, and was very quickly enthralled by its unlimited musical possibilities.

The Cristal is a chromatic instrument such as the piano. It is made up of glass shafts that are stroked with wet fingers to produce vibration. The vibration of the glass shafts is transmitted to the steel rods, which are each tuned thanks to a metallic weight fixed on their extremity. These rods are fixed upon a heavy springer which, in turn, transmits the vibration to a large amplifier that spreads the sound in the air.

Remarkably, Loup Barrow has performed at more than 2000 concerts in 25 countries.

A family dedicated to electric Mandolin, from father, mother to sons!

Sri U.P. Raju and Smt.U.Nagamani will be performing at the Sacred Spirit Festival with U.Jaya Vigneshwar, U. Subramania Raju, Madipakkam P. Suresh on Mridangam, and N. Rajaraman on Ghatam.

Today, the whole family is involved and dedicated in a beautiful manner to music. Mandolin is a musical instrument descended from the lute and so called because the body is shaped like an almond (in Italian, Mandorla means almond). Mandolin was first used in the early 18th century in Italy. In early 1950, Mr. Tiny Moore of USA, a musician himself, first developed a single stringed solid body, the electric Mandolin.

Indian mandolin also became famous in the western world through the late U.Srinivas playing with the Shakti Ensemble including John Mac Laughin and Zakir Hussain.

Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt was born in Jaipur. He was a former disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar, among others and he is one of the most prominent figures in Indian music today.

At the same time, he is undoubtedly India's most famous blues and rock and roll classical musician.

Inventor of the 'Mohanvina', a Hawaiian mandolin type instrument adapted to Hindustani music, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has in his career been the mastermind of some historic recordings such as;

A Meeting by the River with Ry Cooder, Water Lily Acoustics (1993) Mumtaz Mahal with Taj Mahal & N. Ravikiran, Water Lily Acoustics 1995, Saltanah with Simon, Shaheen, Water Lily Acoustics 1995), Tabula Rasā with Béla Fleck; Jie-Bing Chen, Water Lily Acoustics - 1996 etc.

He is a recipient of Grammy Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.

Jean-Pierre Smadja (Smadj) is a distinguished musician and composer from the world of music. Although a perfect connoisseur of traditional music, he has created his own musical culture. He grew up listening to Oriental, Brazilian, funk, soul, and folk music.

Entering a jazz school at the age of 15, due to his intense interest in the guitar, Smadj’s musical development came to be characterized by transforming traditional jazz styles into eclectic sounds. This interest in the mechanics of making music led Smadj to pursue a degree in sound engineering, which led to a fruitful career as a recording & sound engineer for famous classical and folk musicians. Releasing his first album in 1994, Smadj became quickly recognized on an international scale.

Justin Adams, guitarist, producer and composer, has been a creator of wonders with Robert Plant in his band, the aptly named Sensational Spaceshifters. His production on landmark albums by Tinariwen and Rachid Taha highlight his feel for North African groove, while his award winning collaborations with Gambian maestro Juldeh Camara linked griot tradition with raw blues spirit.

His early work with artists such as Jah Wobble, Sinead O’Connor and Natacha Atlas was infused with the spirit of post-punk London, while his recent duo album Still Moving with Mauro Durante, leader of top Southern Italian Pizzica group CGS was called “inspired“ and “astonishing“ by the Guardian, “as unexpected as it is captivating“ by Le Monde.

Teaching Music :

Youth Folk Artist Training Camp' A project provide training and mentorship to young folk artists. Through the week long training camps in villages in Jaisamer and Barmer district for young generation of Langa and Manganiar musicians, In these session we are helping them hone their vocal and instrument playing skills under the experienced tutelage of maestros from their own communities.

This project is facilitated by Jodhpur RIFF under the aegis of the Mehrangarh Museum Trust.

We have invited some of the talented student and masters from these training camps to do a performance for 2020 edition of festival.

A Musical Journey dedicated to Sufi Inspiration

Those who have renounced this world, Will enjoy the delights of the garden that is eternally in bloom

- Hazrat Sultan Bahu

In the night, the voice of the munshid (the religious singer), whether from Senegal, Oman or India, sings the poetry of the mystical world, constantly in the quest to abandon the body (Sultana)

This spiritual journey, we owe it to its pilgrims, the souls that traveled across oceans and mountains to create this chain "silsila", the spiritual knowledge transmitted from the palaces of Central Asia at the feet of the Himalayas, from the plains of the Punjab to the stones of the African and Rajasthan deserts.

Mystical sentences also emerge from the waves of ocean in Oman, tracing the path of the absolute.

The practice of the “sama”( from the Arabic word: “to listen”) through dancing, recitation, poetry and prayers, often linked to the idea of dhikr , originally meaning "remembrance", is a spiritual adventure leading to the “fanâ”.

The Fanâ" passing away" or "annihilation" of the self, means "to die before one dies", a concept highlighted by famous notable Muslim saints such as Rumi and later by Sultan Bahu.

Sultan Bahu (1630–1691) was a Sufi mystic, poet, and scholar active during the Mughal empire mostly in the Punjab. He belonged to Qadiri Sufi order, and founded the mystic tradition known as SarwariQadiri.

In his writings, Sultan Bahu refers to Abdul Qadir Jilani as his spiritual master, even though Jilani died long before the birth of Sultan Bahu. However, most Sufis maintain that Abdul Qadir Jilani plays a special role in the mystic world and that all orders and saints are forever indebted to him in some way.

Far away from the Punjab, where the shrine of Sultan Bahu is located, in Garh Maharaja, in the heart of Africa, Sheikh Djimbira, born into a Fulani family in northwestern Senegal, sings to keep alive the family tradition. Like his grandfather and his maternal uncle before him, he is a singer in the tradition of the brotherhood of Qadiriya.

Founded in Baghdad in the 12th century by the Sufi Sheikh Abd al Qadir al-Jilani, the Qadiriya played a major role in the introduction of Islam into sub-Saharan Africa, with the support of Arab merchants and scholars of Timbuktu.

Linked also to the religious tradition of the Maldives, Al-Mald, in the Sultanate of Oman (or Mawlid) creates a state of merging and inspiration (euphoria and rapture in Arabic music), the (qiyam) begins and consists of a short,heavy melodious rhythm.

Musically, Al Mald is an integrated artistic system with its literary and tonal pluralism, and the departure of performers from the "charged" shrines of their emotions constitutes a sensory awareness towards adhering to the balanced Omani approach in performance.

The themes of death, dhikr and absence are spiritual predispositions that are central to human life in general reminding us that “Man’s body is quite small indeed compared to the mind that it inhabits” (African Proverb), and it constantly reminds us of the ephemeral nature of our earthly life.

Even though the body limits man in terms of time and space, it is also an expression of our soul and our connection with the universe and the nature that surround us.

Amongst the promising musicians of the second generation, Rakesh has carved a niche for himself, as an accomplished flautist.

Incorporating the tradition of his renowned uncle Shri Hari Prasad Chaurasia and infusing his personal style, he has evolved a style which while maintaining the purity of the flute manages to capture the attention of the young listeners too.

To help him in this he has his band Rakesh and Friends (RAF) which creates music that appeals to the young without sacrificing the essence of classical music.

Rakesh’s flute has matched note and rhythm with wind instruments of other cultures as well as having performed ‘jugalbandi’ with Carnatic instrumentalists.

Rakesh’s forte is in blending his flute without really losing its identity in mixed instruments’ concerts. He is also an accomplished studio musician having recorded with most of the leading stalwarts of the Indian film industry.

Rakesh has been the recipient of numerous awards, namely the Indian Music Academy Award, presented by the Honourable President of India, Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2007, the Aditya Birla Kalakiran Puraskar in 2008, the Guru Shishya Award in 2011 and the Pannalal Ghosh Puraskar 2013.

Despite his experimental work, Rakesh has never deviated from his main goal of becoming a full-fledged classical musician.

Having drunk of entire seas, we are still stupefied to see our lips still as dry as the beaches; and still searching for the sea that quenches thirst, we are unable to see that our lips are the beaches and that we are the sea.

Attâr, Persian Sufi mystic poet

The region of Oman was known in Sumerian times as Magan. In ancient times, the peninsula became a major producer of incense, and it witnessed significant trade with Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, India and the island of Dilmun.

Oman had been Islamized during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, in the seventh century. Oman opened its doors to seafaring through the Strait of Hormuz and through the Persian side of the Gulf. Even the Chinese Emperor Zheng He, during his expedition from 1413 to 1415, visited the area.

From 1649-1650, the Omani people of the Yarubid dynasty hunted the Portuguese and seized the main Swahili ports of the East African coast: Mombasa, Kilwa, Zanzibar and Pemba at their expense. Their influence was felt even as far as the valley of the Ganges.

Towards the start of the nineteenth century, Oman became the centre of an empire that stretched from Baluchistan to Zanzibar and Madagascar.

From the Arabian Sea tradition of fishing and maritime trade, to nomadic life in deserts and mountains, Omani tradition has been a symphony of sounds, images, poetry and music across time and space.

Linked also to the Maldivian religious tradition, Al-Mald, (or Mawlid) is defined as the ritual of the Prophet's birthday, on the twelfth day of Rabi 'Awal every year but it is also the name of a Sufi ceremony held on many religious and social occasions such as the night of Israa and Meraaj.

When the group leader sees that the participants and viewers are in a state of euphoria and rapture ( in Arabic music : the (qiyam) begins and consists of heavy, melodious rhythm. He performs for all the members of the group and his words contain greetings (or Salamat) from the Prophet, peace be upon him.

Musically, Al Mald is an integrated artistic system with its literary and tonal pluralism, and the departure of performers from the "charged" shrines of their emotions constitutes a sensory awareness towards adhering to the balanced Omani approach during performance.

The themes of death, dhikr and absence are spiritual predispositions that are central to human life in general. Recalling the life and times of the most honorable prophets and messengers represents man’s penultimate desire to communicate with the Creator and obtain the highest possible bliss. This spirituality is expressed through artistic and sensory means like incense, wailing, asking for forgiveness, beating on the ground, when the body leaves behind rational reality and travels to spiritual horizons not yet realized by the human mind.

Engulfed in a mysterious aura and fabulous ecstatic sound, the compositions of the Korean Percussion Duo Bud cover an intense palette of human emotions through their expressions. The melodic percussions of the ancestral yanggum, this struck string instrument of the family of table zithers, melts with the twirling beats of the janggu, an hourglass-shaped Korean drum stemming from shamanic rites, to deploy a lush musicality and authentic pieces of bravura. Hinting at both age-old traditions and contemporary music, this feminine duo masterfully interprets creations with strong evocative power, both innovative and rooted in a perennial heritage.

The yanggeum is a traditional Korean string instrument. It is a hammered dulcimer. Unlike other traditional Korean instruments (most of which have silk strings), the yanggeum has metal strings. It is played by striking the strings with a bamboo stick.

Yanggeum means a stringed instrument of the West (yang). The yanggeum is also called seoyanggeum ("Western stringed instrument") or guracheolsageum ("European metal stringed instrument"). The origin of the yanggeum is the santurfrom the Middle East. The Chinese introduced it into Korea in the 18th century. Its body is flat and trapezoidal, with seven sets of four metal strings. The right hand strikes the strings with a thin bamboo strip.

Trance with Khusrow

Kanishk Seth is a young experimental musician blending the timeless with the contemporary. After producing and composing songs for India's first Sufi-Electronic album called Trance with Khusrow that was nominated for GIMA and Mirchi Music Awards under the Best Fusion Album Category, Kanishk Seth has been performing at various venues and festivals across the country performing alongside Devashri Manohar, a trained classical singer & Adwait Kashikar, a classical flute player. Along with his band members he performs classics of the renowned poet Amir Khusrow and his original songs to create a surreal musical experience.

“Rudra-Veena” and Pelva Naïk, singing

Born into the illustrious Dagar family of Dhrupad musicians in 1970, MohiBaha'ud-din first began his foray into Indian Classical Music at the early age of seven, training on the Sitar under the expert tutelage of his mother, Smt. Pramila Dagar.

Once he had finished three years of initial training, he received brief instruction on the Surbahar and was later introduced to the Rudra Veena by his father, Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar; a legendary Rudra Veena maestro and his uncle, Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar; a renowned Indian classical vocalist from whom he later also learnt vocal music.

In 1990, MohiBaha’ud-din received the Lakhanpal Foundation Fellowship for two years. He also received a two-year Fellowship in 1993 from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, India. At the early age of twenty, MohiBaha’ud- din formally stepped onto the stage and made his mark in the industry as a classical performer.

MohiBaha'ud-din continues to receive able guidance from the esteemed Pandit Pushpraj Koshti, a senior disciple of Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar.

Taking the Dhrupad tradition to future generations, MohiBaha'ud-din teaches both the vocal and instrumental forms of music to students at 'Dhrupad'; a Guru-Shishya Parampara styled Gurukul established by his father in 1982 at Palaspe, near Panvel.

Over the years MohiBaha'ud-din's music continuously searches for newer ways of expressing the medium without breaking the traditional format. His vocal training with his uncle, Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar, his mentor helped him a great deal. The culmination of rudraveena and voice, brings in a distinctive and precise sense of timing in the cutting of the phrases whilst presenting the aalap, jor and jhala; which is a salient feature of the Saadharani school of Dhrupad that was reintroduced by his great-grandfather, Ustad Zakiruddin Kha'n, and his grandfather, Ustad Ziaudddin Kha'n.

Pelva Naik

Born - 5 February 1986

Ahmedabad. INDIA.

Pelva Naik is a rare young woman executant Vocalist of Ancient Indian classical music form-‘Dhrupad’. Born in 1986, in India - Ahmedabad - Gujarat, Pelva was brought up in a family of artists, art lovers and
connoisseurs; where she was nurtured amid affluent virtues of Indian culture, literature, art and music. Pelva has been trained in the Dhrupad style of vocal music under the eminent Dagar Gharana of Indian classical Music. She is a disciple of legendry Dhrupad maestro Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar. She has also received proficient guidance from Rudraveena maestro Ustad Mohi Bahauddin Dagar

The prime forte of the Dagar school of Music is creation of exceptional refinement of ‘Alaapchaari’, gentle renderings of ‘meend’, great adherence towards the maintenance of the purity of the ‘Raag-Swaroop’, reaching out to the finest ‘shruti bhed’ in a note, free flowing complex cross rhythms of ‘Jhala’ and distinctive rhythmic improvisations of the ancient poetic verses- ‘pada’.

Adding the unique instrumental aspect of Rudra Veena to the Alaap of Dhrupad; the musical discipline of Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar - The Rudraveena maestro and Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar - The vocalist maestro, evolved the art of Dhrupad to the most exclusive order of elegance and splendor.

Pelva, in her music, endeavors to adhere sincerely to these traditional elements - so complete in themselves; at the same time, with the help of the great liberty that the discipline of dhrupad offers, she strives to cultivate fresh characteristics that are personal and distinct.

As a solo Dhrupad vocalist, she believes, that even though performance of this unique art form is a central aspect of her ‘being’ as an artist; teaching and edification of Dhrupad must remain the most integral element for a practitioner. Teaching and sharing the nuances of the art of Dhrupad is an integral part of her life and practice. Pelva teaches and performs ‘Dhrupad’ in India and overseas.

Performances at P rominent Festival and classical music platforms to name a few -

  • Darbar Festival - South Bank Center - LONDON (UK) - Year 2015
  • THEATRE DE LA VILLE - PARIS - FRANCE - 2017
  • RAVENNA FESTIVAL - Darbar festival in Ravenna - ITALY 2017
  • FESTIVAL DE FES - MOROCCO - Year 2017
  • Summer Mela for Alain Danielou Foundation - Rome & Venice - ITALY 2017
  • Lalit Kala Academy symposium inaugural concert - KOCHI 2017
  • UDAY SWAR @ PRITHVI - By Pancham Nishad & Prithvi theater - MUMBAI 2017
  • Jashn - E - Deccan - HYDERABAD 2015
  • Festival Gayatri - FIRST EDITION ARTS - MUMBAI - Year 2016
  • Suburban Music Circle - MUMBAI Year 2016
  • ‘Smritinandan’ Festival - BANGALORE Year 2016
  • Bharat Nivas Auroville - PONDICHERRY Year 2013
  • Dhrupad Mela – VARANASI - Year 2008/2014
  • Ustad Z M Dagar Memorial concert- MUMBAI Year 2012
  • Bhopal Doordarshan Live telecast - BHOPAL Year 2012
  • IISC BANGALORE - February 2018
  • Festival ARAMBH By RAZA FOUNDATION - New DELHI - October 2018.
  • Dhrupad Vaibhav - Raza Foundation - New Delhi - March 2019

When the buds of mystery unfolded into the blossoms of revelation, My entire being was filled with God’s Fragrance. May the perfect Master Who planted this jasmine in my heart, Be ever blessed, O Bahu!

- Hazrat Sultan Bahu

Walid Ben Selim is the poet of the impossible and the invisible. Born in Casablanca, after experiencing the poetic convulsions of rap and Oriental Metal Rock, he will be the architect of N3rdistan, an imaginary country for a new inspiration.

Later, inspired by the great poets of the Arab world and of the Orient, from Mahmoud Darwiche to Rumi and to the Sufi poets of Morocco, he weaves in a sweet and airy chant of old words that awaken our spirit and our soul.

He chose the Chinese and meditative zither of Jiang Nan, also close to the Korean zither of Duo Bud, which we will discover during this festival.

According to a legend, there was a king who had two very talented girls who loved to play this instrument. There came a time when the king became too old and he wanted to pass this instrument to one of them. However, both his daughters wanted it for themselves. The king was really sad to have only one instrument, and finally, desperate, he decided to cut the instrument in half. One had twelve strings and the other thirteen. To his surprise, the new instrument had soft sounds, even more beautiful than the original. The king, very happy, gave a new name to this new instrument: "zheng".

Receptacle of a rich and flourishing religious inheritance, Cheikh Mohamed Djimbira SOW, known as Cheikh Papa SOW Djimbira was born of a great religious Khadrya family: the Djimbiras from Kebemer. At the age of 13, he became the heir to a religious and cultural patrimony of a maternal family which occupies a preponderant place within the Khadrya religious brotherhood in Senegal.

This inheritance has never ceased to echo in the heart of young papa Sow Djimbira, who joins and excels in the Khadrya band of Ndjimbira in Kebemer, which has been popular since 1917 thanks to his uncle and religious guide CheikhMameMoryDjimbira, a Sufi singer with a sublime voice.

His music which is essentially composed of Zikr is a mixture of spiritual Arabic Wolof texts everything with background sound of drums called Tabalas and modern music instruments. He sings the Islam Prophet’s praises and themes developed by renowned scholars from Senegal and elsewhere.

With his group NOUROU SALAM (The Light of Peace) composed of choristers and Tabala percussionists,
Cheikh Mohamed Djimbira SOW, conveys through his compositions what the revealed religions have in common,
and defends with the utmost rigour, the true human values which are Peace, Love, Tolerance, Solidarity, Understan- ding between peoples despite their differences; in sum, the basic principles of all revealed religions. His sonorities also serve as a means to promote a musical genre left behind by the cultural decision-makers.

To promote his music style reliant on the Khadrya religious brotherhood, he quickly managed to take over
other musical genres for an opening to the scene of world music.Since 2007, while keeping the traditional aspect of the songs of the Khadrya religious brotherhood, Papa Sow Djimbira has brought a big innovation in the production of his albums. Indeed for the first time in Senegal, Khadrya sonorities are associated with modern musical instruments. This innovation is brought on purpose. The singing leader of Nourou Salam is aiming at promoting more the Sufi music made in Senegal. The TABALA or TABLA used by Papa SOW Djimbira is aninstrument borrowed from the Moorish culture. However, there is a strong influence of the Wolof and Sérère culture on the sound, the form as well as on the rhythm. With a circular aspect at the beginning, the tabala has taken today a pyramidal shape.

This voluntary transformation aims at finding sounds which are more appropriate to the current melodies.
The introduction of Tabalas in the Khadrya songs appeared in the Djimbira family of Kebemer at the end of 1917. At the beginning, the Djimbira family used the tabala to announce the appearance of the moon on the occasions of Aïd el Kabir, Maouloud, Aid El Fitr festivals or the visit of a renowned personality in Ndjimbira – Kebemer, a city located 155 km away from Dakar.

Afterwards, CheikhMameMoryDjimbira, a young singer, uncle and spiritual guide of Papa SOW Djimbira, used them in the Khadrya songs.

The tabala is made of the trunk of a tree called « Dimb » and the skin of an ox or a cow. The sizes vary, which gives a very rich panel of sounds Papa SOW Djimbira launched his first album on the national
market in 2003. Entitled «LakalHamdouWaChoukrou», many copies were sold in Senegal and in the Senegalese
communities living in the sub-region and in Europe.

Sounds of praise from the Himalayan mountains to the Thar desert from Milarepa to Meera Baï poetry

Loten Namling – Tibet

Divana Ensemble - Rajasthan

with guest Ustad Daoud Khan Sadozaï – Afghanistan

In the great deserts, the high mountains
There is a strange trade
We can swap the whirlwind of life
Against the infinite peace of mind

Milarepa

Born in India, Loten Namling dedicated his life to the conservation of the Tibetan musical heritage. He currently lives in Switzerland. With the dranyen, the lute of the bards of the Himalayas, he sings in particular the praises of Milarepa (1040-1123 the legendary poet, ascetic and spiritual master carried by an initiatory trail.

Milarepa first practiced black magic before becoming a fully realized being until awakening. They are first family stories, against a background of jealousy and revenge. Then a meeting, that of Marpa, the master, who will inflict painful trials on him before granting him the teachings of Tantric Buddhism.

At the age of seven, his father died leaving Mila alone with his mother and sister. Her uncle and aunt take care of them and recover the assets of Mila’s father until he reaches the age of majority. Unfortunately, they mistreat Mila and her mother and dispossess them of all their possessions.

He then goes to meet a shaman of the Bön tradition, a Tibetan belief known for his mastery of black magic to use his new powers and collapsed the house of his uncle killing thirty-five people, but sparing his uncle and his wife. aunt.

The shaman who had taught him everything, advises him to go see a sage who will be able to deliver him from this accumulated negative karma. The transmission of true teaching, the Dharma will see in him born a great Buddhist master.

Milarepa remained famous thanks to a biography of his life written at the end of the 15th century by a descendant of the Kagyupa line. Even today, he is a model of inspiration for all those who regret their actions and wish to correct their destiny.

Meera Baï

In the entrenchment of fortresses perched on top of steep hills in the heart of Rajasthan, between precious stones and visions of semi-desert plains that stretch out through the moucharabieh citadels, was born in the early sixteenth century, Meera, young princess of the Kingdom of Mewar. She will make Lord Krishna the bridegroom of his soul.

Happened by this ecstatic passion, she will become a queen poetess, master of the spiritual path of the Bakhti that leads to liberation by devotion to divinity.

During this show, we will discover the various poetic expressions attributed to Meera and transmitted through the centuries by different castes (jat) of poets and nomads of Rajasthan, who, through the bhajan, the art of praise, lead this absolute search for the bakhta, this renunciation of the world in a jubilant way.

Meera becomes Radha herself in a love game symbol of the search, by the individual soul, of the union with God.

This show is also a tribute to feminine artistic creativity marked by the refinement and imagination of a gesture, a word. Thus, other artists from other mountains and landscapes of the spirit will come to Rajasthan traditions.

A collaborative folk music project by Raitila to explore the traditions of Sufi music in Western Rajasthan. In this project, we are featuring legendary Sufi singer Kachara Khan Manganiar who is well known for his repertoire in the community and has performed all over the world. As guest artists, master kamaicha player Dhara Khan and on the dholak Latif Khan will be joining the band.

Rajasthan has a deep rooted connection with Sufism, many centuries ago, the Sufi poetry had reached the musicians, living in the inaccessible Thar Desert, who have then made them into songs with their known ragas and music and even today we see that alive through the folk music.

There are many Sufi saints who were popular within region and had written some beautiful poetry in praise of the Lord Almighty, through the Sufi Rang performance we will explore those poems and poets.

Raitila is a Rajasthani folk band comprising a younger generation of Manganiar and Langa musicians, who are working on learning some of the oldest compositions from their communities and contemporising them without losing their essence

Raitila’s music celebrates changing seasons, birth, life, nature and Sufism. The music has a deep connection with the lives of the people in Thar Desert of India. Raitila intends to maintain that connection of sand in its tunes, melodies and songs and their repertoire has been passed on to them through generations.