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The festival, which is the biggest celebration of Sufi music in India, returns to the city for its third year with a line-up of international artistes.

To be held at the Madras Race Club in Guindy, the show will feature Sufi singer Latif Bolat from Turkey, and Siddhi Goma on mystic drums from Africa.

The 900-year-old tradition of Suknani Ojhapali will be performed by Dron Bhuyan and Group from Assam, and Parvathy Baul of West Bengal will sing mystical Baul music.

Kachra Khan, Mahesaram and others from Rajasthan will perform Sufi Kalam and mystic songs and Ismail Para of Bhuj will be singing Sindhi Saraiki.

Of course, no celebration of Sufi music is complete without a qawwali, which will be presented by the Nizami brothers from Delhi.

Ruhaniyat first started seven years ago as the brainchild of Mahesh Babu, director of Banyan Tree Events, a cultural organisation committed to preserving traditional and rare Indian performing arts.

This edition of the festival premiered in Mumbai on November 24 and 25, 2007, before travelling to Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata (for the first time).

The Chennai show is sponsored by Tata Consultancy Services. Donor cards (Rs. 300) are available at Landmark (Nungambakkam and Anna Salai) and Odyssey (Adyar and Anna Nagar). Seating will be on a first-come-first-served basis. For details call 022-32972584 / 09323119381.

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