Sound of Bulleyan algebra

A Sufi music festival that could do with slick marketing too.

For those in need of relief from the distastefulness of recent cartoons and discordance of recent wars, Delhi's cultural life has a live audio-visual package to offer: Jahan-e-Khusrau, the city's annual Sufi music festival.

Sufism, regarded as an esoteric form of Islam by some, and as another spiritual "ism" that has nothing to do with it by others, has been quietly gaining fans for the aesthetic endeavours "" if not always the philosophy "" that it inspires. Endeavours such as music.

The growing popularity is reflected in chart-busting numbers such as Rabbi Shergill's Bulla ki jaana... (a composition by Bulle Shah).

Bollywood's increasing use of not just Sufi strains and verse but musical forms such as the qawaali is also serving to enhance the appeal of Jahan-e-Khusrau.

Spearheaded by filmmaker-fashion designer-painter and man-of-many hats Muzaffar Ali, the festival is in its sixth year now. But this weekend, as aficionados make their way to the breathtaking Humayun's Tomb by night, there will be one difference.

Apart from regulars like Abida Parveen from Pakistan and singers entrenched in Sufi traditions of countries such as Iran, Turkey and Uzbekistan, this year has a few surprises, not the least being the presence of Daler Mehndi and Sukhwinder, the latter perhaps best known for his energetic rendition of "chaiyya-chaiyya" (remember Shah Rukh and Malaika gyrating atop a train?).

Besides these, sarod players Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan, sons of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, will also be performing, and then, there will be a Sufi take on Bharatnatyam by another young artist, Bharati Shivaji.

While on one hand, these inclusions are undoubtedly moves to give the festival a contemporary and populist feel ("the aesthetic or the artistic dimension is one way to invite people to your fold... the aazaan, or call to prayer, after all has to be beautiful", says Muzaffar Ali, rather poetically), the fact that many of these artistes came forward themselves and wanted to be a part of the event is testimony to the growing influence of Sufism on the arts.

"People like Sukhwinder and Daler Mehndi will be performing free," adds Ali, "we can't afford them otherwise."

Each year, the festival typically takes about Rs 70 lakh to Rs 1 crore to organise. Only 2,000 people can attend each night because of space constraints. Tickets are free; the cost borne by Delhi Tourism as well as a host of sponsors. This year, the latter will notably include Airtel and Radio Mirchi.

But what is more relevant is the question that Sanat Kaul, chairman and managing director, DTTDC, raises: "Has the time come to corporatise it? To have a model for the festival that is self-sustaining?"

The answer is a resounding yes. Kaul himself feels that the festival has the potential to be marketed as a full-fledged tourism event "" about 300 people from abroad are attending it this year"" and ticket the show.

"It needs to be properly marketed... on the lines of Edinburgh... Sufism is great for marketing, particularly in these times..." Kaul points out.

Ali, himself, though suspicious of sponsors who might ruin the spirit of the show, does not want to "beg and borrow" each year. An informal dialogue is on. As for the outcome, wait awhile. You may just get a transition from the other-worldly to the more worldly, for all you know.