As winter begins to loosen its grip on the Capital and Delhi’s cultural calendar gathers momentum, the lawns of the Sunder Nursery are preparing to slip into a more contemplative rhythm. Over two days, music will blur into memory, textiles will tell stories, and conversations will unfold in the unhurried language of Sufism — less as performance, more as a shared state of being.
The Sufi Heritage Festival returns for its second edition at the Sunder Nursery on February 28 and March 1, promising an immersive confluence of music, storytelling, textiles and slow living. Conceptualised as an ode to Delhi’s layered cultural identity, the festival is steadily positioning itself as a thoughtful alternative to mainstream music events — one that privileges intention over spectacle.
Founded by Yasmin Kidwai and Himanshu Anand, the festival emerges from a simple yet expansive question: what truly represents the spirit of Delhi?
“Delhi is not one city — there are many Delhis layered into each other,” Kidwai says ahead of the event. “What cuts across all these identities is Sufism. It is an all-inclusive spirit that allows space for everyone and every thought. That is very much what Delhi is about.”
While the first edition focused on establishing the platform, season two deepens the curatorial approach. Rather than presenting ready-made performances, the team has spent months co-creating original content with artists.
“Our idea is not to put self-contained performances on stage,” Kidwai explains. “We are working closely with artists to build new material. Whether it is Sona Mohapatra exploring the seven stages of Sufi love or Daler Mehndi returning to his Sufi roots after 25 years, what audiences will see is specially created for this festival.”
For the unversed, Sona Mohapatra is debuting her new show Untamed Beloved at the festival, which will celebrate Bhakti and Sufi tradition at the same platform.
The programming reflects a broader understanding of Sufism — not merely as a musical genre but as a philosophical way of being.
“Sufism is not just the ten songs people associate with it,” she notes. “It is a way of thinking and living. Culture itself is never static — it must evolve.”
A key highlight of the year is Bebaak, the festival’s second stage whose name translates to “fearless.”, presented in collaboration with Aadyam Handwoven. Conceived as a space for younger and experimental voices, Bebaak encourages artists to interpret Sufi thought through contemporary lenses.
Kidwai emphasises that the intention is not to position the festival as a custodian of frozen tradition.
“While it is important to respect heritage, culture must keep evolving. Beebak comes from that space — it is open to interpretation and invites new storytelling forms. ”
Performances here include cross-disciplinary works such as Kathak artist Shinjini Kulkarni’s piece exploring the confluence of Bhakti and Mughal traditions.
Expanding beyond music, the festival introduces a significantly scaled-up Sufi Heritage Bazaar along with Aadyam Handwoven.
The curated marketplace hosts around 15–16 homegrown craft brands from across India, many of whom are not regularly available in Delhi.
Manish Saksena, Business Lead at Aadyam Handwoven, describes the partnership as organic. “When Yasmin shared the concept, it instantly resonated with us,” Saksena says. “Aadyam stands with the weaving community and the larger arts ecosystem. Supporting performing arts through a Sufi framework — which itself brings diverse cultures together — feels like a natural extension of what textiles already do across the country.
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Unlike conventional flea markets, the bazaar is designed as an immersive storytelling space where visitors interact directly with makers. From Jamdani weaves and Eri silk to crafts from Kannauj and Bengaluru, the emphasis remains on slow, mindful consumption.
“This is not a quick-buy market,” Kidwai clarifies. “It is about engaging with the maker, understanding the craft and appreciating the process.”
At its core, the festival attempts to cultivate what Kidwai calls a community of “fellow seekers” — audiences who remain open to introspection and cultural dialogue.
Her reasons to attend reflect this vision: the confluence of cultures, the unique setting of Sunder Nursery, programming for both serious and new listeners, immersive craft and food experiences, and the opportunity to meet like-minded people.
“What I would really like is for people to go back feeling more open — more accepting and willing to evolve,” she says. “If the intention is right, the connection happens.”
The two-day format unfolds as a slow cultural journey. Visitors enter through the bazaar, move through regional food experiences representing multiple Indian states, attend workshops, and finally transition into the evening musical performances — culminating in the sunset sama on the main stage.
In an age of hyper-circulated digital music, the festival walks a careful line between authenticity and innovation. Kidwai is clear that purity cannot mean stagnation.
“Music has to evolve to connect with new audiences,” she says. “The originality must remain, but interpretation will keep changing — and that is very Sufi in spirit.”
Encouraged by strong audience response, the team is already planning satellite performances in Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad following the festival.
For Saksena, the larger impact lies in ecosystem building. “Platforms like this create opportunities not just for established performers but also for emerging artists and craft communities. That alignment of purpose is what makes the collaboration meaningful,” he says.
As Delhi’s cultural calendar grows increasingly crowded, the Sufi Heritage Festival bets on depth over scale — inviting audiences to slow down, listen closely and participate in what its founder describes as a living, evolving tradition.
With winter giving way to spring, the lawns of Sunder Nursery once again become a gathering ground where, as Kidwai hopes, “there is no distinction between performer and audience — only the shared experience of being.”
Images Courtesy: Sufi Heritage Festival
