Kerala Sufi Band Captivates Rajasthan Kabir Yatra Audience

Last month, the Kerala-based Sufi music ensemble Mehfil-e-Sama made history by becoming the first South Indian band to perform at the prestigious Rajasthan Kabir Yatra. The festival, which celebrates Bhakti and Sufi traditions in music and poetry, welcomed the ensemble with open arms.

Lead singer Irfan Erooth recalls one of the most memorable moments from the festival, when the audience requested a Malayalam Sufi song, "Pattaap pakal." Erooth was genuinely surprised by this, as he had been nervous about bringing South Indian Sufi music to the North. However, the response in villages like Kalasar and Chaturgat was extraordinary, with the audience engaging with the music, singing along, and dancing with genuine connection. The performance even extended into the early hours under the moonlight, an experience Erooth says is rare in the South.

This festival has opened a huge horizon for South Indian Sufi music, which has traditionally been dominated by North Indian lineages. Erooth believes this is a turning point, as Sufi music is now welcoming South Indian voices. The band hopes to carry this music across India and eventually to global audiences, sharing their unique cultural heritage with the world.