The City will once again host Ruhaniyat, the All India Sufi and Mystic Music Festival, which was started seven years ago.
The festival since then has evolved into one of the most prestigious and much-awaited festival for the connoisseurs across the country. It will be held on January 20 at Bowring Institute, 19, St Mark’s Road from 6.30 pm onwards.
In India, like in many other countries, number seven has mystical significance and is associated with transcendence and spirituality.
The number seven is very significant for Ruhaniyat also. This year, being the seventh year, the concert will be held in seven cities making it the biggest All India Sufi and Mystic Music festival ever to be held in the country. The other six cities are Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai.
Now in its second year in Bangalore, the concept of Ruhaniyat is the brainchild of Mahesh Babu, Director of Banyan Tree Events, a premiere cultural organisation that is committed to preserve and nurture the rich heritage of traditional and rare Indian performing arts through music and dance festivals of international standards for over a decade.
What makes Ruhaniyat such a sought after event is the fact that more than ever, the messages of Sufi saints and mystics seem to be relevant today, for they knew the secret of blissful existence amidst turmoil. Naturally, their works abounding in wisdom and unconditional love not only act as a soothing balm but is also a timely reminder of the human capacity to evolve and give love.
A truly exotic line-up of mystics from remote villages to internationally acclaimed artists - Ruhaniyat surely is a not-to-be-missed event. A confluence of ecstatic performers, each a master of his or her own art, watching Ruhaniyat is like witnessing the yearnings of the mystics come alive.
The following artistes are scheduled to perform at the Bangalore concert: Sufi Kalam and mystic songs - Kachra Khan, Darra Khan and group (Deserts of Rajasthan); Baul Songs (Parvathy Baul - West Bengal); Sufiana Kalams (Vitthal Rao - Hyderabad); Jagar (Rakesh Bhatt and group - Himalayas); Sukhnani Ojhapalli (Drun Bhuyan and group - Assam); Mystics Drums (Siddhi Goma - Africa); Sufi Qawwali (Shameem and Nayeem Ajmeri and group - Ajmer).
Donor passes are available at Planet M, Bridge Road, Landmark Prestige Forum, Music World Brigade Road and Indiranagar.
