Usha Uthup, Kailash Kher among artistes to participate in 'Sacred Amritsar'

The fourth edition of Sacred Amritsar will bring together a mix of music, poetry, and artistic expression with the likes of singers Usha Uthup, Kailash Kher, and classical music ensemble The Anirudh Varma Collective taking the lead. Curated and produced by Teamwork Arts, the festival will open on February 20 across locations in Amritsar, including Sarovar Premiere, the Partition Museum, and Qila Gobindgarh. The festival draws from both ancient verse and contemporary expression in a celebration of mystic traditions, devotional music, and cultural dialogue. The festival will feature morning music sessions with sarod recital by Soumik Datta, Gurbani rendered by Tarundeep Singh and classical set by Aastha Mandel, offering a serene and devotional start to the day. ''Sacred Amritsar brings together voices and traditions that remind us of the power of music to heal, to question, and to unite,'' Sanjoy K Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts, said in a statement. Among the featured performers The Sacred Amritsar 2026 will be The Anirudh Varma Collective, a contemporary Indian classical ensemble, led by pianist and composer Anirudh Varma. The festival will also feature Usha Uthup. Known for her unmistakable voice, warmth, and message of unity, Uthup's performance will aim to celebrate music as a force of inclusion, joy, and shared human values. Adding folk and Sufi energy to the programme will be the Kutle Khan Project, an exploration of Rajasthan's rich musical traditions through a contemporary global lens. Drawing from his Manganiyar heritage, and collaborations with musicians across cultures, Kutle Khan blends folk, Sufi, and modern influences with powerful vocals and rhythmic mastery. Singer Kailash Kher, who has over 1,500 songs in more than 25 languages to his name, will also be a part of the two-day festival. Journalist-author Harinder Baweja will lead a conversation with former diplomat Navdeep Suri on ''Reporting Conflict: Punjab and Its Traumas'', while festival director Sanjoy K Roy will talk about ''Afterlives: The Ghosts Around Us'' with public historian Eric Chopra.