Sufi music emanating from the Sindh province can excite many a music enthusiast. And so it was at a Sindhi food and music festival organised by by the Department of Art, Culture and Languages Delhi in association with the Sindhi Academy, at the Palika Services Officers Institute Lawn recently. The event was inaugurated by the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia.
The two-day food and music festival commenced with beautiful renditions of kalams like “Nangra Nimani Da Jiven Tiven Palna” and “Hitt Momal Mandi Mot Mitha” by singers. Indira Naik, Dushyant Ahuja and Sadhna Bhatia sang soulful Sufi kalams to regale the the young and the old alike.
Speaking about her song “Hitt Momal Mandi Mot Mitha”, Sadhna Bhatia said, “It’s about lovers. The ‘momal’ is very sad and she is asking her beloved to come back now; it’s a late hour.”
She also sang “Hind Muhinji Ama Sooh Tuhinji Mathan Chal Likhin Chal Likhan” which praises the country. “The country that I belong to is so beautiful, that I have no words to describe its beauty. Words are not enough. All I have is a pen, and no words,” she tells of the kalam.
Indira Naik, provided a great start to the open air festival by her rendition. She urged for the conservation and propagation of the rich Sindhi culture and language just as many such traditions fight for survival. From the area adjacent to the performing space wafted in the aroma of an array of Sindhi cuisine. People were seen enjoying different special dishes like Sindhi aloo methi rolls, chapli kabab and Sindhi biryanis. Other stalls offered no-onion-no-garlic traditional Sindhi thalis, bhaji pulao and dal puri. The second day of the festival featured Mohit Lalwani and singer Pankaj Jeswani. A documentary “Sindhis of India” scripted by Suresh Khatri on the Sindhi traditions was also to be screened.
