NEW DELHI At a time when India and Pakistan continue to remain political enemies a cultural festival focusing on the Sufi poet Amir Khusrau with Roumi Group from Iran among participants is welcome as a breath of fresh air.

According to the Indian Express, an English daily from New Delhi, a three-day festival titled Jahan-e Khusrau -- the Realm of Heart', is being held at Arab-Ki-Sarai, located near the Humayun's tomb in New Delhi.

The festival includes a five-member Roumi Group from Iran, Islamabad-based singer Begum Abida Parvez, artists from Tunisia and a number of singers from India including Nusrat Husain and Ustad Fahimuddin Dagar will be performing in the festival organized by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation.

The festival also features a performance by Lucknow-based Noorul Hasan, who will be singing only Amir Khusrau's (the thirteenth century Sufi saint and poet who propagated his teachings through music) poetry in Persian and Hindi.

One can afford to be assured of a unity and of a cultural similarity that clearly transcends political borders. Indeed, this could be fitting tribute to the musical messiah, Amir Khusrau.

(IRNA)