MISRAV / മിസ്റാവ്

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Misrav
Sufi Cosmos of Lakshadweep Islands




“All becoming is an imagination,
And in truth also a reality.
Who truly comprehends this,
Has attained the mysteries of the Way”

— Ibn al-‘Arabi, The Bezels of Wisdom


Misrav is an art-research project that explores the aspects of the Sufi cosmos and spiritual imagination within the collective memory of Lakshadweep islands in the Indian Ocean, rendered through a series of hybrid films. The project is run by Shaheen Ahmed. He works in collaboration with writers, researchers, and personal collections from the region to study, gather, and record the living, sensorial archives of Lakshadweep that persist in the forms of oral traditions, Sufi rituals, performative practices, dreams and visions.

In Lakshadweep, the word ‘Misrav’ signifies ‘direction’ and serves as a spiritual compass in Sufi terms, guiding seekers towards the Ultimate Truth.

The project is supported by Asia Art Archive — Inlaks Art Grant, for the period 2023-2024.