CAIRO, Sept 23: An Indian spiritual singing group will perform at the ninth edition of an international festival for religious chanting and Sufi music in Egypt.
Troupes from several countries are performing in the week- long festival ‘Samaa’, being held here from September 20.
The visit of the six-member group, led by Purna Das Baul Sarat, was organised by the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture and Embassy of India here in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.
The group, sponsored by Indian Council for Cultural Relations, will perform at different venues including the historic Citadel, Qubbat El-Ghouri and Moiz Street here.
The group performed first on Tuesday at the opening ceremony, directed by the Egyptian music conductor Intesar Abdel Fatah.
Baul sect are nomads whose religious philosophy goes back over 1000 years. One of the main tenets of Baul cult is love for humanity – irrespective of their casts and creed, faith and religion, color and custom.
Baul speaks about the universal mysteries of life in simple words to touch the hearts of common man.
Singing spiritual songs, according to Baul philosophy, the soul is nothing but the god within oneself who has to be perceived and realized though inner enlightment.
Purna Chandra Das represents the eighth generation of an ancient Baul family. He took the Baul tradition for the first time outside India, travelling to the USSR where he presented his songs at the World Youth Festival.
Das is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the prestigious title Emperor of Baul by the President of India in 1967, Sangeet Natak Award in 1999.
There are six English language documentaries on Das. Some were produced in the US and Japan especially well known among them is Lila. (PTI)
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