At
Aadyam Handwoven, craft has always been a point of departure; never a boundary.
Through #CultureBeyondTextiles, Aadyam’s umbrella cultural initiative,
the brand continues to explore the many ways India’s living heritage finds
expression beyond the loom through music such as #MusicofAadyam, performance,
storytelling, and shared cultural experiences.
Furthering
this commitment to cultural continuity and contemporary dialogue, Aadyam
Handwoven is proud to power the return of the Sufi Heritage Festival to the
historic gardens of Sunder Nursery for its second edition on February 28 and
March 1, 2026. Conceptualised by Yasmin Kidwai and Himanshu Anand of Culture
Plus, the festival celebrates Sufism as a dynamic, evolving cultural force; one
that continues to shape artistic expression, community life, and collective
memory.
Powered
by Aadyam Handwoven, the Sufi Heritage Festival is designed as an
immersive and contemporary cultural experience, bringing together music,
poetry, storytelling, and interdisciplinary formats that honour legacy while
encouraging new interpretations. Rooted in shared values of preservation, continuity,
and dialogue, the festival aligns closely with Aadyam’s belief that culture is
not static but rather fluid and flexible.
A
key highlight of this year’s edition is Bebaak, a stage curated by
Aadyam Handwoven—envisioned as a space for bold, fearless voices and
experimentation. Featuring Sonam Kalra, Saumya Kulshreshtha, The Aahvaan
Project, Shinjini Kulkarni, Murad Ali Collective, among others, the brand is
delighted to present six artistes on this stage, reflecting the spirit of
Bebaak; unafraid, expressive, and rooted in contemporary cultural vocabularies.
Meanwhile,
Samaa, the main stage, will see a powerful line-up of legacy and
contemporary performers including Sona Mohapatra, Daler Mehndi, Marham Poetry,
and others who continue to reinterpret Sufi thought for present-day audiences.
Speaking
on the association,
Manish
Saksena, Business Lead, Aadyam Handwoven, said:
“Sufi
Heritage Festival, in its second edition, once again pinnacles our efforts on #CultureBeyondTextiles
under which we celebrate stories around our handloom clusters through baithaks,
conversations, and music compilations all year round. We are delighted to
present six artistes this year at ‘Bebaak’ across music, dance, and spoken
word. Each performance reverberates the theme of boldness and fearlessness in
the vast vocabulary of performing arts.”
Yasmin
Kidwai, Co-Founder, Culture Plus, said:
“Sufism has shaped Delhi’s emotional and cultural landscape for
centuries, allowing faith, art, poetry, and everyday life to coexist without
rigid boundaries. The Sufi Heritage Festival reflects Delhi’s syncretic spirit–
its ability to hold difference with grace, curiosity, and warmth. Through this
platform, we aim to create safe, open spaces where Sufi thought and music can
not only be experienced as living traditions but also be interpreted freely
through thought, expression, and dialogue.
Delhi, with its plural memory, open geography, and deep Sufi lineage, is the
festival’s most natural home– a city that has always understood love as a
language without borders.”
Himanshu
Anand, Co-Founder, Culture Plus, said:
“For me, Sufism is not something we look at only through the lens of
tradition. It is something that continues to evolve, question, and speak to the
present. Through the festival, our focus is on creating contemporary, original
performances that engage with Sufi thought in ways that feel honest and
relevant to today’s audiences. We are working closely with artistes to develop
content that goes beyond repetition and nostalgia, and instead offers depth,
experimentation, and fresh expression. The aim is to build experiences for a
discerning viewer—someone who is curious, emotionally open, and willing to
engage with Sufism as a living, breathing cultural force.”
Extending
the festival experience is the Sufi Bazaar, a curated showcase of 15
artisanal brands from across India. Curated by Yasmin Kidwai and Manish
Saksena, the Bazaar brings together heirloom crafts, textile traditions,
handmade objects, and design-led expressions that foreground craft as living
heritage—an ethos deeply resonant with Aadyam Handwoven’s long-standing
engagement with India’s handloom clusters.
The
Sufi Heritage Festival also finds a natural resonance with Aadyam’s recent
cultural initiatives, including the launch of Humsaaz—Aadyam Handwoven’s
original music album that brings together voices, poetry, and soundscapes
rooted in emotion, collaboration, and cultural memory with artistes such as
Vidya Shah, Ananyaa Gaur, Sonam Kalra, Swanand Kirkire amongst others. The
album is streaming on Spotify & Apple Music. Like Humsaaz, the festival
celebrates the power of music and storytelling to transcend form, geography,
and time—strengthening Aadyam’s vision of culture as a continuum that extends
far beyond textiles.
Dates:
February 28 & March 1, 2026
Venue: Sunder Nursery, New Delhi
Curated and conceptualised by: Culture Plus & powered by Aadyam
Handwoven
Tickets:
district.in/events/sufi-heritage-festival-feb28-2026-buy-tickets
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/aadyamhandwoven/
Website: https://handwoven.aadyam.co.in/
For
further information, please contact:
Vishesh Sharma: Marketing Head, Aadyam Handwoven
+91-9650063161
