Sunday, December 31, 2006

2006: Cross Border Musical Extravaganza

By Various Writers - GreaterKashmir - Srinigar,India
Monday, January 1, 2007

2006: year of change and changelessness-II (...)

Described by politicians as another Confidence Building Measure (CBM) and an effort to promote musical ties between the artists of India and Pakistan, the first-ever historic 5-day Indo-Pak Sufiyana festival organized by Shri Amarnath Shrine Board --Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Doordarshan, Information and Tourism department-- proved to be a musical extravaganza for the people of the valley.

This was for the first time that world-renowned Sufiyana artists from India and Pakistan were participating in a mega Sufiyana music event. The festival unfolded a soulful rendering of Sufiyana Kalam by artists from India and Pakistan.

The programme started with the kalam of Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Alam (RA) recited by Ustad Saznawaz followed by performance by renowned Bhajan Sopori through mesmerizing beats on Santoor based on saints poetry.

Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, union minister for tourism and culture Ambika Soni, chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and chief justice High Court Justice B A Khan lit the lamp and put Isband in the Kangri to mark the auspicious start of the grand Sufiyana festival.

As the layer after layer of mystic and divine Sufiyana music started unfolding, the audience became so spellbound and mesmerised that no one could afford to lose even a single second in having a glance at their watches and when the last item of the first day of Bazam-e-Sufiyana was coming to close, it was already 11.30 p.m.

It was almost midnight but the audience including the chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, mesmerised with Sufiyana, were still insisting on continuing the programme non-stop throughout the night.

It was a pure and sacred form of art that took the audience to the mystic and divine heights of Sufiyana music. Bazam-e-Sufiyana was really a blend of meditation, prayer and message of peace. The audience repeatedly cheered the performance of the artists, who were a class in themselves, with respect and appreciation.

Sufiyana music has roots in Kashmir and people believe that this movement started from Kashmir and spread all over the sub-continent.

The seeds of Sufism in Kashmir were sown in 1320 by great saint Hazrat Bulbulshah (RA) and was carried forward by other great saints of the time and role played by Sufi saints like Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Alam and Lal Ded in further propagating it, is known throughout the world.

Embarking on this enthralling journey of spiritual bliss, Ustad Ghulam Muhammad Saznawaz was the first artist to perform the mystic chants of Sufiyana. Ustad Saznawaz, who has to his credit several national and international awards, wooed the audience with his voice and talent on Santoor.

The next soulful performance was the father-son duo of Pandit Bhajan Sopori and Abhay Rustum Sopori. Members of the fabled Sufiyana Gharana, they initiated the audience to the scintillating sounds of Santoor. Their performance was highly acclaimed and the auditorium reverberated with cheers again and again.

Santoor maestro Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma along with his son Pt. Rahul Sharma, with their creative genius, gave a scintillating performance, which took the audience to a world of spiritual nourishment. For this father-son duo, Sufiyana is not only a medium of simple music but a form of worship.

Immersed deep into the Sufiyana, the listeners experienced meditation and a state of deep thoughtfulness.

Navtej Singh Johar, an artist of international repute, gave superb performance, which had a soothing effect and time seemed to fly during his spiritual and cultural presentation. The Pakistani group received a standing ovation and their electrifying performance was a Sufiyana treat to experience.

Disciple of the legendary Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Nayeem Abass Roufi from Pakistan, was another star performer of the evening who engrossed the audience with his mind-boggling performance. He created priceless moments for everyone present on the occasion.

Farah Hassan, another popular Sufiyana artist from Pakistan, also gave a wonderful performance, which was equally appreciated by the audience.

An exponent of Sufi-Kathak, Manjari Chaturvedi made an exquisite venture into the forays of music, lyrics and melody and held the audience aghast with her performance. She captivated senses and thoughts of everyone around by her unravelled display of this art form.

The singers also enthralled the audiences at Varmul and Pahalgam.

Others who performed during the Sufiyana festival included India’s answer to Pakistan’s Abida Parveen: Zila Khan and talented sufiyana, ghazals and classical singer from Pakistan, Ustad Mazhar Umrao Bandu Khan -who belongs to a distinguished lineage of traditional musicians and represents 700-year-old Delhi gharana.

No comments:

Sunday, December 31, 2006

2006: Cross Border Musical Extravaganza
By Various Writers - GreaterKashmir - Srinigar,India
Monday, January 1, 2007

2006: year of change and changelessness-II (...)

Described by politicians as another Confidence Building Measure (CBM) and an effort to promote musical ties between the artists of India and Pakistan, the first-ever historic 5-day Indo-Pak Sufiyana festival organized by Shri Amarnath Shrine Board --Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Doordarshan, Information and Tourism department-- proved to be a musical extravaganza for the people of the valley.

This was for the first time that world-renowned Sufiyana artists from India and Pakistan were participating in a mega Sufiyana music event. The festival unfolded a soulful rendering of Sufiyana Kalam by artists from India and Pakistan.

The programme started with the kalam of Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Alam (RA) recited by Ustad Saznawaz followed by performance by renowned Bhajan Sopori through mesmerizing beats on Santoor based on saints poetry.

Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, union minister for tourism and culture Ambika Soni, chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and chief justice High Court Justice B A Khan lit the lamp and put Isband in the Kangri to mark the auspicious start of the grand Sufiyana festival.

As the layer after layer of mystic and divine Sufiyana music started unfolding, the audience became so spellbound and mesmerised that no one could afford to lose even a single second in having a glance at their watches and when the last item of the first day of Bazam-e-Sufiyana was coming to close, it was already 11.30 p.m.

It was almost midnight but the audience including the chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, mesmerised with Sufiyana, were still insisting on continuing the programme non-stop throughout the night.

It was a pure and sacred form of art that took the audience to the mystic and divine heights of Sufiyana music. Bazam-e-Sufiyana was really a blend of meditation, prayer and message of peace. The audience repeatedly cheered the performance of the artists, who were a class in themselves, with respect and appreciation.

Sufiyana music has roots in Kashmir and people believe that this movement started from Kashmir and spread all over the sub-continent.

The seeds of Sufism in Kashmir were sown in 1320 by great saint Hazrat Bulbulshah (RA) and was carried forward by other great saints of the time and role played by Sufi saints like Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Alam and Lal Ded in further propagating it, is known throughout the world.

Embarking on this enthralling journey of spiritual bliss, Ustad Ghulam Muhammad Saznawaz was the first artist to perform the mystic chants of Sufiyana. Ustad Saznawaz, who has to his credit several national and international awards, wooed the audience with his voice and talent on Santoor.

The next soulful performance was the father-son duo of Pandit Bhajan Sopori and Abhay Rustum Sopori. Members of the fabled Sufiyana Gharana, they initiated the audience to the scintillating sounds of Santoor. Their performance was highly acclaimed and the auditorium reverberated with cheers again and again.

Santoor maestro Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma along with his son Pt. Rahul Sharma, with their creative genius, gave a scintillating performance, which took the audience to a world of spiritual nourishment. For this father-son duo, Sufiyana is not only a medium of simple music but a form of worship.

Immersed deep into the Sufiyana, the listeners experienced meditation and a state of deep thoughtfulness.

Navtej Singh Johar, an artist of international repute, gave superb performance, which had a soothing effect and time seemed to fly during his spiritual and cultural presentation. The Pakistani group received a standing ovation and their electrifying performance was a Sufiyana treat to experience.

Disciple of the legendary Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Nayeem Abass Roufi from Pakistan, was another star performer of the evening who engrossed the audience with his mind-boggling performance. He created priceless moments for everyone present on the occasion.

Farah Hassan, another popular Sufiyana artist from Pakistan, also gave a wonderful performance, which was equally appreciated by the audience.

An exponent of Sufi-Kathak, Manjari Chaturvedi made an exquisite venture into the forays of music, lyrics and melody and held the audience aghast with her performance. She captivated senses and thoughts of everyone around by her unravelled display of this art form.

The singers also enthralled the audiences at Varmul and Pahalgam.

Others who performed during the Sufiyana festival included India’s answer to Pakistan’s Abida Parveen: Zila Khan and talented sufiyana, ghazals and classical singer from Pakistan, Ustad Mazhar Umrao Bandu Khan -who belongs to a distinguished lineage of traditional musicians and represents 700-year-old Delhi gharana.

No comments: