Jammu Sufi Festival ends in Purity

Bureau report - Kashmir Observer - Srinagar,Kashmir,India

Monday, December 25, 2006

Jammu: Santoor maestro Padam Shree Bhajan Sopori has described sufi musical form most relevant medium to generate pure thoughts and spread message of love and brotherhood every where. Saying that Kashmir has been abode of sufiana music Pandit Bajan Sopori said that this form inculcated mutual amity, purity of heart and brotherhood in all human beings.

Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of Jammu festival here today organized by Sa Ma Pa organization of which Mr. Sopori is founder, he said the basic aim of the festival was to generate movement amongst youth regarding music and its positive effects on solacing tensionful minds.

He said during the festival days young talent and lovers of music were given basic knowledge about music and its various forms. He said many programmes at various places including educational institutions were organized in which famous and master artists, along with young and budding musicians presented their artistic expertise.

Describing the festival a success, Mr. Sopori said that there is need to organize many such festivals both in Jammu and Kashmir by the cultural academy and other organizations to encourage young generation and provide platform to musicians to exhibit their artistic skills. He said Sa Ma Pa is releasing new albums in Kashmiri and Dogri portraying rich poetic and literary treasure of the state and its world renowned cultural heritage.

Speaking on the occasion, Director Information Khawaja Farooq Renzu said that sufi musical form owes its existence to Kashmir and great sufis and saints of Kashmir have been inspirers and thought provokers for “sufiana” symbolizing brotherhood, amity and tolerance. He said the secular fabric of the state, renowned world over for co-existence of pluralistic culture in harmony, is the outcome of teachings and propagation of message of love and communal harmony by the great sufi saints.

Mr. Renzu said the need of hour is to broad band this message of love and peaceful co-existence and circulate message of sufism through art, literature and other such forms of which Sufiana Sangeet is significant one.

Mr. Renzu appreciated Sa Ma Pa for representing heart beats of people of Jammu and Kashmir and reviving the age old sufiana in renewed and attractive way. He said under the present trend of copying western music ignoring the true form of sufiana, Sa Ma Pa’s efforts are laudable as they are out to guide the youth towards their roots and are nurturing true form of music that provides coolness to thoughts and purifies soul.

Secretary Cultural Academy Mr. Rafiq Masoodi, Mr. Abhay Rustum Sopori, renowned artists, musicians and others were also present on the occasion.