Like every year, Ruhaniyat, the annual Sufi music festival, left the audience mesmerised at the Empress Gardens on Saturday. This year's edition, the seventh in the city, featured artistes from Turkey, Egypt, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal and Delhi. The evening began with a solo piece by a member of the Rizmat-Barkat group from Rajasthan, and only got better with each performance. Bibi Swarna Noora, a singer gifted with an earthy voice, sang renditions of Bulle Shah's poems like Kulli vicchon ni with her equally talented son, Dilbahar, who accompanied her on the harmonium. Mohammad and Hamda Farghaly, the father-son duo from Egypt made everyone sway to the notes of Oud and Kanun. Turkish musician Latif Bolat spread the message of love and friendship through his songs. Rizmat-Barkat and group were later joined by Khartal player Gaffur Khan. Parvathy Baul, a baul singer from West Bengal who has been a part of the festival since its first year, transported the audience to a different level altogether with her performance. The high point of the festival was the Tanoura dance by the Whirling Dervishes, Mostafa M Mohamed Hamdan and M Kamel Mohamed Hussain from Assuit, Egypt. In the 15 minutes that they performed the folk dance, they managed to amaze all present. The evening was brought to a fitting conclusion with qawwali performances by Chand Nizami and group from Delhi.
Turf Pride
Like always, the Indian Derby held at Mahalaxmi racecourse in Mumbai on Sunday attracted the who's who of the racing and glamour world. The men wore crisp suits while the women came out in gorgeous dresses and interesting headgear. Socialite Queenie Singh, actors Abhay Deol and Sameera Reddy, Vijay and Siddharth Mallya, and the Poonawalla clan - Cyrus, Zavaray, Adar and Natasha - were among those spotted at this grand racing event.
