Children Convey Sufi Message of Love

Children Convey Sufi Message of Love
PTI | 11:07 AM,Jul 09,2012
New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) A 'sufi' message of love, tolerance and pluralism echoed in the bylanes of Nizamuddin Basti when local children took the initiative to preserve their heritage through an improvised form of 'dastangoi'. An open air setting in the heart of the Basti, with a view of families in the neighbourhood in their balconies and windows and children up in the roofs flying colourful kites, Chausath Khamba provided an ambience apt for a theatre performance of 'Qissa Baoli ka' (The Story behind the Baoli). It also served another objective – the reuse of a dilapidated space for cultural events centred on themes associated with the Basti. Around 40 children from the Basti, who were shortlisted after auditions by the Urdu Academy, tried to make the story of the construction of Hazrat Nizamuddin Baoli, built in the 14th century despite objections from king Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, came alive last weekend in a culmination of a 45-day theatre workshop. The 50-minute play was an Aga Khan Trust for Culture initiative in the form of Urban Renewal project that aims at improving the quality of life of residents and collaboration between AKTC and Urdu Academy for past two years has seen children and youth from the Basti getting trained in theatre. The baoli -- protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) -- miraculously still holds water and water levels have increased significantly following the recent restoration by AKTC following partial collapse in 2008. "The water from the baoli is considered holy by millions of pilgrims who visit the Basti annually to pay their respects at the Dargah of (Sufi saint) Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia", Ratish Nanda, Project Director, AKTC said told PTI. "The (Urban Renewal) project has distinct conservation, health, education, vocational training, sanitation, urban improvement components in addition to cultural revival. Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti boasts of a 700-year living culture which has sadly been gradually forgotten and no longer remains the hallmark of the Basti", he said. At the outset of the project, the dilapidated courtyard of Chausath Khamba was landscaped as part of the project to create a performance space. It was the same place where AKTC held 'Jash-e-Khusrau' in 2010 after the 14th century Sufi legend Amir Khusrau. In the play, first-timer young actors made their entry from anywhere -- from near the audience to suddenly emerging from a dark corner -- with soulful sufi music playing in the background and kept a large crowd engaged as they spoke dialogues heavily influenced by dialects. A special corner from where the revered sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin's voice emanated amid smoke and light drew a huge applause. Director of the play Nadeem Khan and script-writer Anis Azmi narrated the story through a journalist who comes to the Basti to investigate and gets information through an elderly 'Chacha Maqsood'. The whole format simplified the history, making it easy for any person to retain it. Kiran Walia, Delhi Social Welfare Minister, who was present as the Chief Guest advocated for a "collective effort" from "not only by the government but by the people to protect heritage".