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Sur Jahan 2017 celebrates cultural diversity bringing music of the world together, for global peace, harmony and the brotherhood of man.


Sur Jahan, earlier known as Sufi Sutra and the biggest world music festival in the city of Kolkata, is back to its favourite destination - Mohar Kunj. Since its inception in 2011 by banglanatak dot com, a Kolkata based UN recognized social enterprise, teams from 21 countries and 12 states of India have participated. Each year, international and national music teams participate in day time cultural exchange workshops and evening concerts. Held in the first weekend of February in Kolkata, it has evolved as an annual music festival and etched its place in the city's cultural calendar. The celebrations create an atmosphere of a carnival with stalls by rural craft and cultural hub handicraft artists, thematic exhibitions and folk shows. It is a non commercial, non ticketed festival with a motto of ‘Music for Peace, Music for All’. The 7th edition of the festival will be held on Feb 3-5, 2017 in partnership with the Rural Craft & Cultural Hubs of West Bengal, an initiative by the Department of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises & Textiles (MSME&T), Govt of West Bengal, in association with UNESCO.

Click here to catch a glimpse of the festival from its inception


Workshops are a special attraction for the people of Kolkata and Goa. At the workshop zone, each group will introduce their own music as well interact with the media and the audience for around an hour. In Kolkata, the international teams will collaborate with city musicians and troupes like Paridhi, Lakhhichhara, Arshi Nagar, Wrong Tuli and Surma Dohar to create some amazing world music. You can also tap your feet to a few numbers if you feel like!


The Rural Craft and Cultural Hubs of West Bengal will be showcasing a presentation of all craft forms on Feb 4-5 at Kolkata, whole day along with folk performances in the evening from 4-8 pm. Explore the brilliance of traditional crafts like Patachitra, Dokra, Kantha, Madhubani, Dhokra etc and also experience the richness of folk forms like Chau, Raibeshe, Jhumur etc. 


These are the 5 International teams which will be performing at the festival this year:

Eminent Swedish group Ale Moller Quartet from Sweden.


World and Medieval music band from Czech Republic- BraAgas. 


Ellika Solo Rafael - a musical trio from Sweden.


Otava Yo from Russia with their folk music and soviet tunes.


Virelai from Denmark with their music, dance and poetry.


Folks of Bengal with Bengal’s folk traditions.


Punjab Qawwali from Amritsar Punjab with Qawwali – a Sufi tradition of music dating back more than 700 years.


Bauls of Bengal with their soulful music.


The Kolkata festival will be followed by an equal and mesmerising replay at Goa. The people will get to enjoy music from two new teams - East West Local and Tarak Khayapa at the festival to be held at Goa for the 3rd time on Feb 8-10, 2017.  Here is the schedule:


Let us introduce you to the teams who will perform in the Goa leg of the festival.

Listen to collaborative world music from Goa and Bengal by East West Local.


Enjoy soul stirring Baul music by Tarak Das Baul of Joydeb Kenduli, Birbhum. 


Click here to view snippets of this years performing teams

Join us at the festival to continue celebrating our cultural diversity! 
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