Bahar - Festival of Spring

A major, three day, South Asian festival featuring some of the finest performing art groups.

Bahar is primarily a celebration of Voices. It aims to bring together and present a colourful array of various vocal styles from South Asia. These include Sacred Chants, Medieval Sufi & Bhakti poetry, Folk, Dhrupad, Khayal, Thumri, Qawwali and Ghazal. These vocal art forms will be accompanied by rare, majestic instruments such as the Rudra Veena and Rabab. The festival will also present Manipuri and Kathak dance, to complement these various genres. A visual exhibition entitled ‘Paradise Lost’ will also be on display throughout this season.

Morning, afternoon and evening performances scheduled.

The season will bring some of the rare voice traditions from the remote areas of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Tibet & Nepal before British Audiences .

Artistes include: Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Khyal; Ustad Asad Ali Khan dhrupad-rudra veena; Madhup Mudgal- bhakti songs; Gundecha Brothers, dhrupad; Kaberi Chatterjee - Manipuri dance; Neera Batra- sufi kathak dance; Savita devi - thumri / dadra; Dr Joel & Group - Carnatic / contemporary rhythm & vocals, Ustad Aashish Khan - sarod; Ustad Farid Ayaz &group qawwali; Shahadat Khan sarod; Zarazanga Pushto Folk, and Parwaz Ensemble, Persian / World jazz Fusion. Peter Lockett - World Music Percussion and other artists.

Inauguration: PARADISE LOST, launch of photographer Sohail Anjum’s endeavour to capture the devastation caused by the South Asian Earthquake and the determination of its people to survive. Exhibition in the foyer of Queen Elizabeth Hall.