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.
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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
