India, May 5 -- From your vast repertoire, why did you choose to sing the poems of Amir Khusrau during your concert at the Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) in Jodhpur?

I am in love with Mehrangarh Fort, especially the Zenana Courtyard where the evening programmes of Jodhpur RIFF are hosted. The last time when I performed on this stage, I focused on thumri - a part of my musical repertoire that is really special to me because I learnt from Girija Deviji and Shobha Gurtuji, who were the queens of thumri.

The ambience of this performance space helps me connect with God, so I thought that there could be nothing better than to present the Sufi poetry of Amir Khusrau, who is much loved and respected for the greatness of his devoti...