Sheema Kirmani, Rahat Fateh perform at Sufi festival

LAHORE: The world renowned and biggest display of Sufi Music and singing in this part of the world, 16th Mystic Music Sufi Festival, a diverse cluster of Pakistani Sufi singers, musicians and performers on Friday, enthralled the spectators and mesmerised the Sufi music enthusiasts, including the French Ambassador Mr Marc Barety, at Alhamra Cultural Complex.

The festival started with Ney Nawaz performance with Sheema Kirmani's performance of dance and concluded at the mesmerising performance of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The Mystic Music Sufi Festival has once again proved to be a breath of fresh air for the otherwise tired, hard-hit and wounded souls and minds of our populace. The festival brought together a diverse group of Sufi singers and musicians to showcase a thousands of years old heritage.

The Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop believes that the one of the ways to create a place in which global peace could be nurtured was to share the unbiased concept of Sufism that was open to all people and promoted a peaceful co-existence, love and respect for everything. In comparison with the previous years, this time the overall situation in the art and cultural sphere was quite gloomy with a downward trend due to various disturbing elements in society. However, Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop had always been on the forefront in its efforts to promote and protect the national cultural heritage in every kind of circumstances. He said the festival was a glowing testimony to their commitment to their cause. The grand line-up of the opening day included Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Arif Lohar, Tahseen Sakina, Sheema Kermani, Nawab Khan, Nagma-e-Israfil and Papu Sain. The opening day attracted a sizable crowd.