Sacred Spirit Festival Returns to Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort

The Sacred Spirit Festival is back for its 15th edition.

The festival, held at Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort every year, is set to enchant the audience from February 23-25 this year.

“We are happy to announce that the 15th edition of the Sacred Spirit Festival will be organized from February 23 to February 25 at the majestic Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur,” His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar, Jodhpur, said in a press release.

“Over the years, the festival has made its exclusive identity in bringing together diverse sacred musical traditions from across the globe at one common platform. The artists not only share the stage to create unique music but at the same time they also learn from different cultures,” he added. “Ensembles of our own Rajasthani musicians too leave the international audiences spellbound with their performances and collaborating with diverse visiting musicians.”

This year’s festival has been exclusively curated by Maharaja Gajsingh II’s daughter, Princess Shivranjani Rajye, artistic director Alain Weber, and festival co-director Alexandra de Cadaval.

In his statement, Weber said, “In this unique festival, melodies will reverberate at the majestic Mehrangarh Fort creating a sense of magic, a sense of revival of the ancient times where one could find serenity by listening to the beauty of a voice that would lead oneself into a mystical quest.”

The 2024 edition of the Sacred Spirit Festival will feature a diverse array of performances showcasing flamenco to Sufism, from Hinduism to Buddhism, and the whirlwind of life between fanâ and nirvana.

On the 23rd, visitors can expect performances from The Shankar Brothers, Madan Gopal Singh and Chaar Yaar Ensemble, Uzbekistan’s Ilyas Arabov, Kerala’s Ranjini, Andhra Pradesh’s Narayanan, Pandit Rajendra Prasanna, Rajasthan’s Mukhtiyar Ali, and Senegal’s Cherif Mbaw.

The second day (February 24) will see performances from Tibet’s Lobsang Chonzor, singer and musician Parvathy Baul, Pape Khan and Delawar Khan, instrumentalist Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, sitarist Ankit Bhatt, Juan Carmona, and Parvathy Baul.

The third day (February 25) will end with Jaswant Thanda, the Bhajan tradition of Rajasthan.

According to Weber, “this year’s highlights are special performances based on the theme of Father to Sons.

“Artists such as Mohan Vina Maestro, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt will perform with his sons, Salil Bhatt and Ankit Bhatt. Masters of Bansuri, Pandit Rajendra Prasanna will perform with his sons Rajesh, Rishabh and Ritesh. Soulful voice of Shubha Mudgal; as translucent as precious stones, as rough as rocks in the desert, will mingle with poetry and cosmic Sufi dance.”

Tickets to the Sacred Spirit Festival can he bought here.