Samy Yusuf to make India debut with The Sufi Route

British singer-songwriter of Azerbaijani origin Samy Yusuf will make his India debut with the second edition of The Sufi Route, where A.R. Rahman, Satinder Sartaaj, Dhruv Sangari and the Nooran Sisters among others will perform too.

Yusuf said in a statement: "Sufism is about seeing the truth and beauty at the essence of all things. Sufi music, while highly entertaining, communicates the complex layers of meaning found in Sufism directly to the souls of its listeners. India's remarkable spiritual legacy has always been a fountain of wisdom for the rest of the world.

"Now with divisions on the rise, the universality and tolerance of Sufism can help us transcend surface differences and reach a place of harmony. This will be my first ever performance in India and I'm very excited to be part of this amazing event."

Poised as India's foremost travelling global Sufi festival, The Sufi Route is an initiative of the Friday Music Project. It will return to the capital on February 9, 2019.

The festival this time will open its doors to patrons at Kalagram, Garden of Five Senses, which will simultaneously be launched by Delhi Tourism.

Yusuf will be headlining the cultural extravaganza which embraces timeless Sufi poetry and music.

Lyricist and poet Manoj Muntashir will moderate the event, where patrons will get a chance to relish signature cuisines curated by the chefs from Andaz Delhi, a luxury lifestyle hotel by Hyatt.

Shital Bhatia of Friday Film Music Project said in a statement: "In tumultuous and unpredictable times, we need to constantly reconnect with our roots. Over the years, not just the aged but also the youth have been pulled into the realm of ecstasy which Sufi poetry has owned in its fold for centuries and it's encouraging to see how the festival attracts a diverse age group congregation."

They are expecting close to 5,000 attendees this year.

--IANS

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