"Mohey Rang De Basanti, O Rey Piya Nizamuddin Auliya!"

"सकल बन फूल रही सरसों, अम्बवा फूटे, टेसू फूले, कोयल बोले डार-डार, और गोरी करत सिंगार, ​निजामुदीन के दरवज़्ज़े पर, मलनियाँ गेंदवा ले आईं कर सों, सकल बन फूल रही सरसों।"​ (The fields are lush with yellow mustard blooms, Mango buds open and the Flame of the Forest blooms, Each branch echoes with the Koel’s melodies, As the lovely maidens don their make-up, And the gardener-women bring Marigolds to the doors of Nizamuddin, The fields are lush with yellow mustard blooms)

Seven centuries ago, these words woven around soulful music, sung by Khwaja Amir Khusrau and his band of 'Qawwal Bachchas' (Qawwali Singers) rang out to celebrate the onset of Basant (Spring) and thus began a beautiful tradition observed in the Nizamuddin Basti... Sufi Basant is a 700+ years old legacy of Sufi music & celebrations coinciding with Basant Panchami (Hindu festival of Spring)....keeping alive a ritual that celebrates life, nature's bounty and celebrates the universal brotherhood of communities irrespective of religion...

On the auspicious occasion of 'Sufi Basant' this year, DelhiByFoot brings to you this unique 'Rasa' of our lovely city....join us inside the holy courtyard of Dargah-e-Nizamuddin...immerse yourself in this only kind of a colourful celebration of spring with all things Basanti (Yellow)...mustard, marigold and music....the lilting tunes of Amir Khusrau’s evergreen verses being sung in honour of 'The Almighty' and his 'Pir' (Master) Mehboob-e-Ilaahi Hazrat Sheikh Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya...and many tales of their mutual love and devotion!!!

​PART 1: MAIN CELEBRATIONS ONLY Beginning with stories of this unique festival and how it came about, stories of Khusrau and his 'Khwaja Ji', we will then join the musical procession of Qawwals (Sufi Qawwali Singers) as they go around the Basti alleys finally ending inside the holy courtyard of Dargah-​e-​Nizamuddin Auliya....where the air is heavy with the smell of Ittar (Indian flower extracts’-based perfumes) and the robust tunes of the Harmonium, Tabla & Dhol ring out in the skies....as you also join in the singing of special 'Basant Ki Qawwalis'....verses of spring colours, of love, of new cycle of seasons and new hopes....finally we will offer flowers & chaddars and with a silent prayer on our lips and everlasting memories of this unique celebrations and the syncretic nature of Delhi's historical​ & cultural​​ roots, we will leave the Dargah!!!

PART 2: MUSICAL SAGA OF DELHI & DINNER (OPTIONAL) As the main celebration winds up, for the remainder of our evening’s experience, we will go to another landmark theatre-auditorium of our city, a point where the old meets the new....merging zone of New Delhi and Old Delhi, which has been specially re-purposed as the setting for our immersive music, dance & theatrical experience of the historical saga of our beloved city of Delhi...a one-of-its-kind experience in Delhi. Yes, as you will be seated on special seats.....the DelhiByFoot Time Machine will seemingly transport you back in time to the era of royalty, grandeur and to the musical tunes of a culturally rich India reminiscent of the royal courts of the Delhi Sultanate and Mughals!!! After this you will savour dinner under a starry open sky, comprising authentic, straight from fire, Mughlai Barbeque vegetarian & non-vegetarian foods cooked and laid out in the traditional royal style!

​​THE COMPLETE EVENT WILL BE CONDUCTED IN ENGLISH & HINDI

TO KNOW MORE OR TO SPEAK WITH US, CALL RAMIT @ 9871181775

DAY/DATE: Sunday, 21st January, 2018, 2:30PM-6:00PM, Part 2 till 8:00PM MEETING POINT: Near Police Station, Opposite Humayun's Tomb/Sabz Burz Roundabout, Mathura Road. CHARGES: BOTH PARTS: Rs.1350/person ONLY PART 1: Rs.850/person (Includes a surprise, Doesn't Include Part 2's Show & Dinner) Children below 12 yrs are STRICTLY NOT allowed.