Pune:
Music lovers in the city were treated to Kashmiri folk melodies at the 6th Kashmir Festival, which took place at the Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch on Sunday.
The J&K folk music ensemble, Soz-O-Saaz, composed and conducted by santoor virtuosos and music composers, Pandit Bhajan Sopori and his son Abhay Rustum Sopori, had 50 musicians playing together. The festival was organised by NGO Sarhad and Arihant Education Foundation in association with the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.
Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal, chairman of the J&K state finance commission, Mehmood-ur-Rahman, and superintendent of police (Pune rural), Pratap Dighavkar, were the guests of honour.
"Most problems of Kashmir have been solved. What is required is to strengthen our resolve. This can be done through love, harmony and the sense of being one as a nation," said Rahman.
The event brought along not only the lesser-known aspect of Kashmiri folk music but the renditions of different folk instruments as well. The ensemble presented mellifluous folk interpretations of various instruments such as santoor, rabab, sarangi, matka, tumbak, daher, violin, cello, guitar, flute, tenor, synthesizers, drums and tabla.
Noted artiste Veer Munshi and Srinagar-based journalist, Shujaat Bukhari, were felicitated with the quintessential Puneri pagdi by Rajpal.
Founder president of Sarhad, Sanjay Nahar, working president, Arihant Education Foundation Shailesh Pagariya, writer-director Pran Kishore Kaul, and former Lt Gen (retd) Moti Dhar were present.
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