Dekho Sufi filmein

Writer Amrit Gangar is screening a series of short films that revolve around Sufism
I Named Her Angel: A 12-year-old Turkish girl learns the ropes of becoming a female dervish.
Rumi Turning Ecstatic traces a Canadian woman’s journey to find out more about Sufi poet and mystic Jalaluddin Rumi’s incredible impact on our world.

Rumi: Poetry of Islam accompanies the Bosnian Vahid, in search of his cultural identity, into Anatolian Konya for festivities that commemorate Rumi’s death anniversary.
Give Me Your Love by Karachi born Nameera Ahmed explores the role of music in the lives of the Mevlevi (whirling) Sufis.

Films will be screened 11.30 am onwards on January 5, at Little Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point. Tickets available at the box office. Call 66223737

Day dreaming on stage

Aao Saathi Sapna Dekhe
A Hindi adaptation of Tom Jones Broadway musical, The Fantasticks, lyricist Swanand Kirkire’s theatre debut is set in Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi. The Baiju Khan-Gauraiya love-story-gone-awry is just the basic premise; the real star of the musical is the filmy humour, beautiful lyrics, and an energetic cast of National School of Drama graduates.

At 6 pm and 9 pm on January 5 and 6 at Prithvi Theatre, Janki Kutir, Juhu Church Road, Vile Parle (W). Tickets priced at Rs 100 and Rs 150. Call 26149546

Face the music
At the Keli Classical Rhythm Festival 2008
“Rhythm is a characteristic of every type of human activity,” says festival director K Ramachandran. That’s why this ambitious four-day fest “devoted exclusively to the traditional rhythmic ensembles from Kerala,” is open to everyone, and free-for-all. On the agenda are solo and group performances, with over 100 musicians playing at the same time, without a conductor, or rehearsals even.
 
January 7
Thayambaka by Kalpathy Balakrishnan and group
Thayambaka is an aesthetically formulated rhythm work that starts off very slowly and moves to an extremely fast pace through a gradual play of different thalas.
At 6.45 pm at YB Chavan Centre, near Mantralaya, General Jagannath Bhosle Marg

January 8
Panchavadyam by Chottanikkara Subhash and group
Panchavadyam is an ensemble of five different type of instruments Thimila, Maddalam, Edakka and Kombu that no festival or divine procession is complete without.
At 7.30 pm at Horniman Circle Garden, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Fort

January 9
Panchari Melam by Peruvanam Kuttan Marar and group
The Melam performance will have over 100 artists coming together, without a conductor or even a rehearsal, for a rendition of complicated rhythms.
At 7.30 pm at Horniman Circle Garden

January 10
Pandi Melam by Peruvanam Kuttan Marar and group
Pandi Melam is a massive orchestra of about 100 artists, presented in three stages slow, medium and fast. The beauty of the symphony lies in the pyramidic sharpening of the basic 14 beats.

Free entry passes are available at Rhythm House, Kala Ghoda; Prithvi Theatre, Juhu Church Road, Juhu; YB Chavan Centre, near Mantralaya; and Giri Stores, Matunga. Call 9820835737