Sufi Heritage Festival: a celebration of music, poetry, and living traditions

The Sufi Heritage Festival returns to the lush gardens of Sunder Nursery, New Delhi, for its second edition on February 28 and March 1. Conceptualised by Yasmin Kidwai and Himanshu Anand of Culture Plus, the festival celebrates Sufism as a living, evolving cultural force through music, poetry, storytelling, crafts, and immersive experiences.

The festival runs from 2 PM to 10 PM each day and features performances across two stages. The Samaa (Main Stage) hosts legacy and contemporary performers, including Sona Mohapatra, Daler Mehndi, and Marham Poetry. The Bebaak (Contemporary Stage) provides a platform for bold reinterpretations, with performances by Sonam Kalra, Saumya Kulshreshtha, the Aahvaan Project, Shinjini Kulkarni, and the Murad Ali Collective.

This year, the festival introduces the Sufi Bazaar, a curated market of 15 brands showcasing heirloom crafts, textiles, and artisanal products deeply rooted in India’s cultural fabric. Curated by Yasmin Kidwai and Manish Saksena, the Bazaar offers visitors an opportunity to engage with craft as living heritage rather than mere commodities. Complementing the performances and Bazaar are interactive workshops and culinary experiences that create participatory moments of reflection and dialogue.

Speaking about the festival, Yasmin Kidwai, Co-Founder of Culture Plus, said, “Delhi, with its plural memory, open geography, and deep Sufi lineage, is the festival’s most natural home—a city that has always understood love as a language without borders. Through this platform, we aim to create safe, open spaces where Sufi thought and music can be experienced and interpreted freely.”

Himanshu Anand, Co-Founder of Culture Plus, added, “Through the festival, we focus on contemporary, original performances that engage with Sufi thought in ways that are relevant today. Our aim is to build experiences for audiences who are curious, emotionally open, and willing to engage with Sufism as a living, breathing cultural force.”

Manish Saksena of Aadyam Handwoven remarked, “Sufi Heritage Festival celebrates stories around our handloom clusters through baithaks, conversations, and music compilations. Each performance on Bebaak reflects boldness and fearlessness in performing arts.”

The festival is organised under the banner of Culture Plus, a cultural venture dedicated to reimagining India’s living heritage across festivals, media, experiences, and original intellectual property. Tickets are available at district.in

When: February 28–March 1; 2 PM to 10 PM

Where: Sunder Nursery, New Delhi