Karachi:
The 15th edition of the Tehzeeb Festival opened its doors with moving melodies and rare classic performances at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) on Saturday evening. Hold in collaboration with the Tehzeeb Foundation, the two -day music festival is organized at the Zia Mohyddin Theater, attracting large crowds of music enthusiasts.
The event started with a fascinating performance of the visually impaired singer Mehak Rashid, who captivated the public by singing a Khayal Thumri while playing the Tanpura simultaneously. His mastery and expression won a standing ovation.
The international flavor of the festival was raised by singer Bangladais Niloy Ahsan Zulqarnain, who dazzled the crowd with his rich style of Dhrupad, adding classic gravity to the evening. Its performance stood out even among a solid range of Pakistani maestros.
Ustad mumtaz Ali Sabzal delivered an innovative act mixing classic ragas with Balochi folks on the banjo, offering a unique RAAG vision. From Rahim Yar Khan, singer Ahmed Raza Khan from the Patiala Gharana presented Khayal and Multani Kafi, winning the warm applause of the public.
The famous Tabla Haroon player Samuel amaze the gathering with a solo performance dedicated to the late Umar Hayat Khan of Punjab Gharana. The performance paid tribute to the inheritance of Ustad.
The festival continues on Sunday, featuring more performance in Raags such as Malkauns, Bageshri, Marwa, Darbari and Ghazals. Notable names aligned for the final include Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Izzat Fateh Ali Khan and Meeta Pandit of India.
The founder of the Tehzeeb Foundation, Sharif Awan, speaking during the festival, said that the event had been designed to promote the tradition of the USHAGIRD subcontinent (Master-disciple). “Like a chef mixes spices to create a dish, RAAGS are carefully made and experience,” he said. Awan also remembered the legendary maestros of Tabla Umar Hayat Khan and the Ustad Bashir Khan recently passed.
Kaif Ghaznavi, the host of the festival and cultural promoter, noted that the Tehzeeb Foundation has been organizing classical music events for 18 years to highlight the rich cultural identity of Pakistan. She stressed that the platform offered visibility to emerging musicians and singers.
The event is supported by the Sindh government and various private institutions. The president of the Napa, Javed Iqbal, in his brief speech before presenting commemorative shields, paid tribute to the late Zia Mohyddin, qualifying him as an imposing figure in the show arts of Pakistan.
