SAARC sufi festival begins in Jaipur

The SAARC sufi festival, a three-day carnival of sufi dance, music and poetry was today opened here by Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh.
Artists from several countries will take part in the festival, in which sufi dance, music, poetry recitals, book readings, book launches and interactive sessions will be held.
The Governor has expressed hope that the festival will open ways of learning.
"Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti spread the sufism and today people from every corner of the world come to the dargah of Chisti in Ajmer," Singh said.
Highlighting the importance of love and peace, Singh said that spiritual devotion, love and harmony can take the society to a new height.

The Governor, in his inaugural speech, said maintaining the feeling of harmony was required today, and appealed to the speakers to find a solution of problems in the sphere of sufism.

The event is being organised by the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL).
"Sufism is a way of life that binds regions through not only cultures but also civilisations. This is why FOSWAL, the apex body of SAARC, chose sufism to bring together the hearts and minds of people of SAARC countries," president of FOSWAL Ajeet Cour said.
Granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi and the vice chairperson of Gandhi Smriti and Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee said that the event will help in spreading art and culture down to the common masses.