By Suman Bajpai
The Sufi Heritage Festival, held in Delhi last week, began with Saumya Kulshreshtha’s narration of the complex love stories of celebrated Punjabi poet Amrita Pritam with artist Inderjeet Imroz and poet Sahil Ludhianvi. It was a bold choice: Pritam was not primarily known as a Sufi poet, even though her work drew inspiration from Sufi poetry and traditions.
Kulshreshtha, who is a writer, poet and educator, recited Amrita Pritam’s poem, ‘Main tainu fir milaan gi kithey? Kis tarah? Pata nai’. The narration was incredible, and the poem touching – one could feel the depth of Amrita’s love and dedication to Imroz.
The narration was accompanied by Harish Budhwani, an award-winning singer-songwriter known for his lyrical pop style, blending heartfelt storytelling with contemporary sounds. The performance really set the tone for an unusual cultural festival in the heart of Delhi on the weekend of March 8-9th.
The venue, Sunder Nursery, was formerly called Azim Bagh or Bagh-e-Azeem, a 16th-century heritage park complex that attracts people of all ages in every season. I had visited Sunder Nursery, adjacent to the Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, several times earlier to enjoy the beauty of its dense green cover, the landscaped gardens, and its variety of flowers.
This time, I was there only for the Sufi Heritage Festival. (But undoubtedly, one can’t miss the blooming flowers and chirping birds in the season of flowers when nature is eager to dance and shine to its fullest.) Entry tickets were priced from INR 1499 per day onwards, steep by the standards of Delhi’s middle-class but worth it considering the excellent lineup of performers.
Delhi’s afternoon heat was bothersome in early March, but as I entered the main ground near the Sunderwala Mahal – a mausoleum in a square structure – I felt as if soulful music was prevailing in the air. The whole ambience created for the festival was so captivating that, for a second, I was confused about where to begin.
A stage (named ‘Bebaak’, or fearless) was set to one side, and several workshops were in progress under the trees. A row of shops displayed handicraft items, and of course food stalls beckoned visitors.
Documentary filmmaker Yasmin Kidwai, founder of the Sufi Heritage Project, explained, “At its core, the festival is about community – working with Delhi’s rich cultural ecosystem, from the artisans of Nizamuddin to emerging artists, to build a collective of cultural patrons who share in the spirit of Sufi inclusivity and artistic expression.”
The festival was organised in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture to promote Sufism and as a tribute to Sufi poetry and literary traditions. This branch of Islam, which reached India in the 12th century, emphasises mysticism and direct personal experience of God. It is often compared with the Hindu spiritual tradition of bhakti, which emphasised love and devotion above ritualistic practices.
Mother-daughter duo Polly Saghera and Jasleen Aulakh presented their own compositions of Sufi poetry in the form of meaningful music, without sermonising.
Aulakh said, “In our effort to present Sufiyana qalaams in a contemporary style and to make them more relatable to the audience, we have fused these qalaams with the lyrics of my mother, Polly Saghera.” Through their music, they drew attention to all aspects of the fabric of life – its joys as well as its problems. That is the beauty of Sufism, Aulakh said.
Percussionist and composer Sina Fakhroddin played the tombak; Murad Ali Khan’s qawaali took one back to the olden days. Soul-stirring performances by Samandar Khan, Nizami Bandhu, Ananyaa Gaur, Aditi Mangaldas, Dhruv Sangari, Priya Malik, and Kabir Café among others showed the legacy and rich heritage of Sufi poets and literature.
A Sufi and a mystic at heart, Srinagar-born Yawar Abdal became a sensation when his debut song Tamanna hit the music industry. He sang the couplets of Khusro, Mahjoor and Ghalib while the sun was setting – everyone completely drenched in the soul of music and poetry.
Well-known Kathak dancer and choreographer Aditi Mangaldas said, “The Sufi Heritage Festival is a celebration of inclusivity, which is important today when the world around us seems more and more compartmentalised and exclusive. This festival represents the beauty of our world, the beauty of the diverse streams that come together to make a forest that gives shelter to all forms of life.”
An effort to bridge tradition and modernity, the two-day festival enchanted old and young visitors alike – a celebration of India’s syncretic spiritual and literary traditions. Not only did we witness exceptional artists from varying fields, it also gave out a strong message of unity and solidarity.
Lead image: Poet, writer, actor, columnist, and television personality Priya Malik performing at the Sufi Heritage Festival 2025
Suman Bajpai is a freelance writer, journalist, editor, translator, traveller and storyteller based in Delhi. She has written more than 20 books on different subjects and translated around 160 books from English to Hindi. Her latest novel is The Naga Story (2024).
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