Germany decides to go ahead with Zubin Mehta's concert in Kashmir

[kaykay]

Germany decides to go ahead with Zubin Mehta's concert in Indian-controlled Kashmir - WORLD - Globaltimes.cn

German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner Tuesday supervised the arrangements for an upcoming classical music concert in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Steiner visited the Shalimar Bagh the famous garden built by Mughal emperor on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar the venue for Sept. 7 concert to monitor progress of work ahead of the high- profile show. He was accompanied by officials from the local government.
Hundreds of workers were seen busy erecting makeshift stage and making arrangements for the show. The officials have restricted the movement of civilians inside the garden and work was being done amid tight security arrangements.
The German Embassy in New Delhi with the support
of local and federal Indian government is organizing the program Kashmir Concert - the Ehsaas-e-Kashmir (feelings for Kashmir) to allow celebrated conductor of classical music Zubin Mehta
to conduct the Bavarian State Orchestra.
Mehta is an Indian born international icon of classical music. Officials say 1,500 guests from Kashmir and beyond are expected to listen to the timeless music of Beethoven, Haydn and Tchaikovsky to be played by Mehta and the
Bavarian State Orchestra (Bayerische Staatsorchester) from Munich.

Separatists opposing Indian rule in restive region urged German embassy to call of the concert, fearing such an activity would have an adverse effect on the disputed nature of Indian-controlled Kashmir. A number of activists, writers and academics wrote to the German embassy in Delhi asking them to call off the concert.
"Legitimizing an occupation via a musical concert is completely unacceptable. Art as propaganda, as abundantly documented, was put to horrific use in
Nazi Germany," reads the letter sent to the German
embassy. "We are sure you will understand that we
cannot welcome anything even remotely analogous in Jammu and Kashmir."

Even the grand mufti (religious scholar) Basher-ud- Din suggested German embassy should give up the idea of organizing concert in disputed region.
Realizing German embassy would not cancel the show, the separatist hardliner Syed Ali Geelani has called for protests on Friday and a complete shutdown on Saturday the day Mehta is going to perform.

"We have tradition of hosting tourists and we are
not against Germany," said Geelani on Monday. "We are against the show because it is being conducted in beautiful prison called Kashmir. In 2004, the European Union called Kashmir a beautiful prison and supported the right to self-determination.
Today they can't tell us that all is normal here and let us listen to music."
Steiner's Tuesday visit to Srinagar to oversee preparations was an indication the German embassy would go ahead with the program.
Meanwhile, the rights activists are scheduled to
stage a parallel musical show Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir
(the reality of Kashmir) to overshadow Mehta's concert. The activists would be performing in
Srinagar's Municipal Park

 

[kaykay]

A big slap on the face of Seperatists who are opposing this concert.

 

[chhota bheem]

Good desicion.

 

[Parul]

 

[Parul]

Zubin Mehta's concert mesmerizes Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Soulful strains of some of the most popular and best known western classical music compositions reverberated in the majestic backdrop of Zabarwan Hills when Zubin Mehta, world famous conductor, performed before a mesmerized audience in the Shalimar Gardens on the banks of Dal Lake this evening.

In a unique setting in the 400-year-old Mughal Garden with its magnificent chinars, some as old as 300 years and more, Mehta and his Bavarian State Orchestra played its full cast of works of Ludwig Van Beethoven, Franz Joseph Haydn and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in front of an invited audience of 1,500 guests.

The concert kicked off with the maestro leading the orchestra in concert with Abhay Sopori's troupe with traditional Kashmiri instruments.

The concert, 'Ehsaas-e-Kashmir'(Feel of Kashmir), assumed political overtones following opposition by separatists and civil society, which saw it as an attempt to present a picture of peace in Kashmir which had witnessed so much bloodshed in recent decades.

The city remained mostly shut at the call of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani against the concert.

Setting the tone for the concert, the 77-year-old music maestro started by saying in Hindi, "Hum bahut khush hain, hum bahut khush hain (I am very happy). I have waited and dreamt of this moment for years.

"Where are all those whose music we have heard inadvertently. 'Agli baar se to yeh sab muft hona chahiye'. Music sabke liye hona chahiye (the next time, this should be free for everyone. Music should be for everyone) and it should not be for a select few. "We only want to do good. Music must go out from here to all our friends everywhere... to all Kashmiris."

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah started by quoting the famous couplet by Amir Khusrau "that if there is heaven on earth, it is here, it is here. Shalimar Bagh once again comes alive with the sound of music.

Zubin Mehta's concert mesmerizes Kashmir - The Times of India

 

[kurup]

Another blow to the separatists .

to Germany and Subin Mehta .