That's one word that defines the feelings of people who've attended the earlier editions of Jahan-E-Khusrau. The mystic festival is back

Yeh kya raaz hai saaqi-e-mast o bekhud, ye kyon tune nazre inaayet hata li/Wahi maikadaa hai magar soona soona, wahi jam-o-meena magar khaali khaali (The secret I seek to know, you lifted your drunken gaze of love, you who got me drunk/The tavern was found in its place without the dance, the goblet and the bar without a drop of wine ufffd)."



These words from a lovestruck Sahba Akbar Abadi, written centuries back, will soon be recreated by Hansraj Hans at Jahan e Khusrau, which is back in the city on Friday. This is the ninth edition of the popular Sufi music festival, and this time round, it is going international. So artistes from India and other countries will be enthralling audiences with their performances in London's Southbank Centre from April 15-17.

"I wanted to present the openness of India to the outside world. We will have the likes of Navtej Johar and Madan Gopal Singh join us in London," says Muzaffar Ali, director, Jahan e Khusrau.

from the pages of history
The venue in Delhi, however, couldn't have been more poignant. The fest is happening at a more poignant place. This time, it is being held at Arab ki Sarai inside Humayun's Tomb, a stone's throw from which is Chillah Nizamuddin Aulia, the patron saint of Delhi known for his Sufi renditions.