World Sufi Spirit Festival

The World Sufi Spirit Festival is an annual event held at Nagaur and Jodhpur in Rajasthan. The festival takes place every year for two days in the second or third week of February. The chief objective of this festival is to explore the mystery behind the Sufi style of music. Sufi artists from India and international destinations like Pakistan, Zanzibar, Iran, China and Egypt are invited to the event to perform for the multitude of international tourists who flock the Rajasthan mahals to listen to the enthralling Sufi artists.

Legend of World Sufi Spirit Festival

The festival is held over a period of two days in the legendary Ahhichatragarh and Mehrangarh forts of Nagaur and Jodhpur respectively. Not only the music but the festival locales also attract thousands of tourists every year.

A visit to the World Sufi Spirit Festival gives visitors some glimpses of structures that date back to 4th century India. The Ahhichatragarh Fort was last renovated in the 12th century during the rule of the Mughals. Nagaur still hosts the school founded by Sufi Hamid al-din Chisti.

The performances at this festival take place on open terraces of the three mahals Abha, Deepak and Bakhat Singh. The works of art engraved on the courtyard walls in these mahals add to the overall ambience of the World Sufi Spirit Festival.

Do not forget to take a look at and take photographs of the Takhat Vilas, Zenana Deodi, Phool Mahal and Chokelao Garden inside the Mehrangarh Fort.

Customs, Traditions and Cultural Importance of the World Sufi Spirit Festival

The World Sufi Spirit Festival not only hosts Sufi concerts, it makes arrangements for mehfils where visitors can indulge in their personal choice of classical music, Sufi lectures, qawali gatherings, yoga and workshops where children are taught about Sufi music and culture. However, children below five years are not allowed to take part in the festivities.

The Jodhpur Royal Family hosts the festival in association with the Mehrangarh Museum Trust that plays an important role in making the arrangements for tourists who visit the festival. The organizers promote the event as an attempt to preserve and encourage the youth to learn about the sacred Sufi art.

Performers at the World Sufi Spirit Festival

This Rajasthani festival has always brought the best names in Sufism under one roof. Some of them are:

• The Rajasthan Langa Troupe (India)
• Fareed Ayyaz & Party (Pakistan)
• Wang Li (China)
• Tanourah Sufi Dance (Egypt)
• Mtendeni Maulid Ensemble (Zanzibar)
• Vahdat Sisters (Iran)