Basant Sufi festival in Hyderabad: Celebration of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb

Hyderabad: As the nation gears up to celebrate Basant Panchami, which marks the arrival of spring (Basant Rutu) on Sunday, February 2, 2025, the composite culture (Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb) will be on full display at Hazrat Shaikji Hali dargah in the Old City of Hyderabad.
To celebrate the shared cultural heritage and spiritual harmony, the All India Markazi Majlis-e-Chishtia is observing the Sufi Basant festival at the dargah of Shah Mohammed Qasim alias Shaikji Hali Abul Ulai at Urdu Shareef behind Pathergatti.
Basant Sufi festival dates back to the reign of the founders of Hyderabad city — Qutub Shahis and the later Asaf Jahi rulers continued this tradition to uphold the Hindu-Muslim unity till their downfall in 1948.
In recent years, Muzaffar Ali Soofi Chishti, President of Jashan-e-Khusrau Sufi Music Festival and Sajjada Nasheen of Dargah Shah Muhammad Qasim alias Hazrat Shaikji Hali have revived this tradition by organizing the Basant Sufi festival. The festival, which exemplifies interfaith harmony, is being supported by the British Deputy High Commission, Hyderabad, and the Government of Telangana.
The ‘Sehr-e-Baatil’ Kaman near Gulzar Houz will resonate with soulful sufiana renditions of Basant festival songs of Hazrat Amir Khusrau (a sufi poet during the times of Delhi Sultanate). He was a mystic and spiritual disciple of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, Delhi.
In keeping with the spirit of the spring festival, the Muslim shrine will be bathed in yellow and golden hues while the guests are encouraged to give the vibes of yellow colour through their dressing or accessories.
Popular qawwals Atiq Husain Khan and Ghulam Husain will render the lyrical compositions of 13th century saint-poet Hazrat Amir Khusrau on Basant (spring) after sunset on Sunday. Gareth Wynn Owen, British Deputy High Commissioner along with a 15-member British delegation will likely attend the sufiana festival.
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It is said Basant tradition was started in India by Amir Khusrau, a disciple of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya who was upset at the untimely demise of his young nephew, Taqiuddin Nooh and stayed away from social gatherings. Khusrau couldn’t bear the anguish of his teacher and wanted to bring back the smile on his face. Inspired by the Hindu festival in which women were carrying yellow flowers to the temple on Basant Panchami, Khusrau visited Hazrat Nizamuddin in yellow clothes and carried mustard flowers which brought a smile on his teacher’s face.