Srinagar (Kashmir) [India]Aug 26 (ANI): The Students Welfare Department of Kashmir University organized a grand Sufi festival to pay tribute to the great Sufi personality of Asia, Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah.
The main objective of this festival was to revive Sufiana, classical and folk music and to provide a platform for the talented youth of the valley. Because Sufiana, classical, folk music and overall Sufi poetry are the hallmarks of people who are famous and considered the backbone of Kashmir from cultural and traditional point of view.
Shahid Ali Khan, Cultural Officer of Kashmir University said, “The festival was a tribute to the great Sufi personality Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah, in which students of Kashmir University and children from neighboring villages participated. Apart from complete education, extra-curricular activities are also very important, if students do not participate in sports or cultural activities, the pressure of studies will increase in their mind which can lead to intoxication. Therefore, to remove that stress of the students, we organize such festivals and will try to organize such festivals in future also. The 2,500 capacity of the Convocation Center was fully filled and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all and we feel encouraged to organize such a celebration. From here the contestants are performing at national and international level which feels good.”
Around two thousand five hundred people including professors, scholars and students were present in the campus during the festival and all demanded that such festivals should be continued in future also. The participants and the overall audience were looking very excited and enjoyed the festival as such activities were banned by the government for the past two years due to the disturbing situation and the covid disturbances.
Nargis Khatoon, who participated in the Sufi Festival said, “I am feeling great because I started my career at this stage. I live in Delhi, but it is an absolutely wonderful feeling to be here to perform on stage. This time I got a chance to meet a lot of new musicians, and so many new talents, felt great. These types of festivals are very important because we are adopting modern music nowadays but if we take our roots along So we can definitely make a difference. There is something different about Sufiana music, so I believe we should always stick to our roots. After the COVID pandemic, these types of festivals can provide a complete musical program. Which feels great.”
Another participant in the festival, Shahid Khan said, “The festival was very wonderful and well organized by the University of Kashmir to pay tribute to Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah, which was really enjoyable. There was a whole crowd in the auditorium, everyone was singing, dancing and enjoying as if they had got some kind of freedom. These types of festivals are very important, as they increase the interest of youth to participate in such cultural festivals.
Bhat Sabrina Firdous, a student of Kashmir University, shared her experience of the Sufi festival and said, “I thoroughly enjoyed it, the way each and every participant performed was splendid. Due to COVID-19 and Article 370, the situation here was very disturbing but I am very happy that things are getting better now and I am very grateful to Shahid Sir, Director, DSW for organizing this festival. Apart from education, extra-curricular activities are also very important, so I am glad that our university organized this Sufi Festival.
Sheikh Itfar, another student, said, “It was my first on-stage performance and I represented my department, and it feels really good and I wish there are many more festivals like this in the future so that everyone can enjoy it. Get a chance.”
The Sufi festival enthralled the jam packed audience especially for the students of Kashmir University. The Sufi Festival was an important part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav organized by the Student Welfare Department at the University of Kashmir.
Such festivals always entertain people including students and help them to reduce mental stress. (ANI)
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