Pilgrims prepare for saint's festival in India

Pilgrims and visitors from across India and abroad are preparing to descend on Dewa in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh for a 10-day festival at the shrine of a Sufi saint.

Held in memory of Qurban Ali Shah, father of Sufi saint Haji Waris Ali Shah, the annual festival begins on October 31 with a special ceremony which will see embroidered sheets of Varanasi silk placed on their tombs. Sufi adherents follow the inner, mystical dimension of Islam.

Popular Sufi singer Kailash Kher and Bhojpuri singer and actor Manoj Tiwari are among those officials say will be performing at this year's festival along with the Wadaali brothers, who are known for their qawwali - devotional Sufi music - performances.

The festival is also set to feature notable poets including Gopal Das Neeraj and Sarita Sharma.

Administrators in Barabanki say CCTV cameras and security arrangements have been put in place to ensure the festival at the Dewa Sharif shrine runs smoothly.