Delhi has always been considered a place where people from all quarters of the country and the world come to perform rather than a region that has created a great culture of its own. This thought set Arshiya Sethi, researcher, writer and founder of the Kri Foundation, on the path to creating a festival called “Dilli ka Apna Utsav” that begins this Friday. Arshiya has focused on artists and institutions such as the Kathak Kendra — which is celebrating its 50th anniversary — and the Delhi gharana of Hindustani music. Lesser known forms include Kissagoi and Dastangoi. Among the highlights is likely to be the TALENT group’s Kissagoi session. Founded by theatreperson Irshad Alam Khubi, the group represents one of the prominent facets of the city: youngsters who have plenty of energy but not much inspiration to channel it, finding a way through theatre. Irshad has worked with young people from diverse backgrounds such as children of small-time shopkeepers, mechanics, kabadi collectors, etc., and performed regularly for about 16 years. Then there are two walks around Shajahanabad — one on the “poetic life of Old Delhi” led by Swapna Liddle of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, and one on Shahjahanabad and the world of Kathak, led by Navina Jafa. Another event to look forward to will be the concert by qawwals from the Dargah of Hazrat Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki at Mehrauli.
Programme
March 21, 6 p.m.
Traditional music of Delhi by the Dilli Gharana group
Vocal music by Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Khalifa of the Delhi gharana.
March 22, 6 p.m.
Tabla of the Dilli gharana (Sufis of Dilli) by Akbar and Babar Latif Khan, sons and disciples of late Ustad Latif Khan
Qawali by Qutubi Brothers, Mohd. Ilyas and Haji Mohd. Idris, and group
The Amphitheatre, INTACH, 71 Lodi Estate
Contextualisation: Anita Singh
March 23
Two walks in Shahjahanabad
(Advance registration required at delhihertiagecity@gmail.com.)
March 24, 7 p.m.,Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road
“Kalaam-O-Raqs: Dancing the poets of Delhi”, by Rani Khanam and Saswati Sen
March 25, 6.45 pm at the Auditorium, India Islamic Cultural Centre, Lodi Road.
The story telling traditions of Delhi — Kissagoi and Dastangoi
“Kisse Hamari Galiyon Ke”- by TALENT, directed by Irshad Alam Khubi, member of the Tangewala biradari, Sheikh Farooqui.
Two Daastaans by Dastak - “Ghummi Kababi” & “Dastan Khusrav-e-Shireen Sukhan Ki”
Fouzia and Poonam Girdhani draw a sketch of Ghummi Kababi from Ashraf Subuhi
Dehlvi’s book- “Dilli Ki Chan Ajab Hastiyan”. Ankit Chaddha, directed by Mahmood Farooqui, presents the life, times and works of Amir Khusrau Dehlavi
