World Sacred Spirit Festival back with eighth edition

Art, music and Rajasthan's rich cultural heritage will unite at the eighth edition of the World Sacred Spirit Festival (WSSF), to begin in Nagaur Feb 9.

The festival, which will culminate in Jodhpur Feb 15, will be presented by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust. From the Indian fusion group Midival Punditz to the Iranian Nour Ensemble, the schedule will offer a variety of performances with the majestic Ahichhatragarh and Mehrangarh Fort as the backdrop.

The aim of WSSF is to turn rustic Rajasthan into a global platform for international sacred artists.

"We promise to leave our guests spellbound with our offerings," Princess Shivranjani Rajye, director of the fest, said in a statement.

WSSF has the patronage of Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Jodhpur along with international singer Sting.

Sting said: "Over the years, World Sacred Spirit Festival has become one of the awaited music festivals that stages artists from across the globe and that satiates the

sacred music desire of the music enthusiasts."

The festival will be a confluence of some popular national and international talents from different art forms such as dance, music and poetry.

It will feature artistes like Midival Punditz (India), Druk Yul Trio (Bhutan), Li Daiguo, Pipa, Cello and Beatbox (China), collaboration of Mukhtiyar Ali (India) and Mathias Duplessy (France), Divana (India) and Pandit Kushal Das.