Dubai: A mega show by musical maestro A R Rahman and a fusion concert by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Jethro Tull from the UK (United Kingdom) are among the highlights of the ninth edition of the month-long Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).

"We have lined up some spectacular shows this year. Another hugely entertaining show will be the "Jalwa" featuring top Indian film stars Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor," the chief executive officer of the DSF Saeed al Nabouda said on the festival beginning today (Jan 15, 2004).

Indian tabla maestro Zakir Hussain is also scheduled to perform and the 2nd International Jazz Festival would bring some of the biggest names in Jazz from around the world during the event, as the DSF presents a large selection of cultural events for the visitors who are expected to surpass last year's 2.92 million, he said.

Western musical sensations Whitney Houston and Bryan Adams will present their own special style of shows.

The organisers at the Global Village where the different countries have set up pavilions said the India Pavilion, spread over 7,000 square kilometres, is the largest country pavilion at the village exceeding the size of Indian pavilion in all the previous years.

States like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have set up independent pavilions within the India theme.