INTEHA REPRESENTS PAKISTAN’S CULTURAL HERITAGE IN TURKEY
With the advent of diversification and cultural acceptance, many countries are on the task of showcasing these aspects with various cultural programs. The most remarkable example of these curricula are those organized by the Rafi Peerzada Group as a Performing Arts Festival in which artists from various countries come together on a single platform to showcase their work. A similar festival was also organized in Istanbul, Turkey. To our pride, Pakistani music band, Inteha, was also invited to this prestigious get-together.
The festive event was a blend of artists from different countries, about 11 in number, and the motto was the representation of their country and culture. Inteha was called up to represent Pakistan, which is a great honor for the band as well as for the nation and it does show that Pakistan has not lost its balance in the music field and our culture does hold its roots. It was a well organized show dedicated to art lovers and appreciators.
Guitarist and song writer, Nausher Javed represented the band in Turkey. He performed the unplugged version of Jevay Jevay Pakistan, and a Punjabi number, Muk jandi ay, from their upcoming album, Kehna Chahta Hoon. Besides the fact that it was an international audience, both the songs received a great deal of appreciation and applause signifying the acceptance of our heritage. Talking to MAG about his experience, Nausher Javed said, “It was an appreciation in itself to be called to such an esteemed show, but it was also a challenge for us as it was a matter of pride for the nation. The feeling for me is indescribable when our national song was echoing in the hall, signifying the essence of national pride and respect for our beloved country. I feel more than an honor to have done this task.” Commenting about the performance with the international groups, Nausher excitedly said, “The biggest obstruction faced by everyone, I would say, was that the artists were from different countries, all speaking different languages… but the common string which bonded us was the passion and love for our work and nation, which helped us to overcome this challenge quite easily. It was a great experience along with a learning perspective. It helped me to see different colors of the world through the work of these performers and the hard work these people put in is highly appreciable. I really enjoyed myself and I feel privileged to be part of such a great team of artists.”
The important thing signified by this festival is that talent is always entertained, whatever the country may be. Following the Mumbai crisis and the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India, most of our artists have lost hopes, thinking that their talent will no longer be welcomed in any other country. But the invitation of a Pakistani band to Turkey should really boost up the morale of other bands. Music is the only language that is understood by everyone, everywhere, all the time, irrespective of the language. This is the message which Inteha carried with them to Turkey and it was this dedication and enthusiasm that helped them to stand their ground in the midst of other talents. There is no doubt that Pakistanis are talented, especially in the music field. The presentation, depiction and enthusiasm is what differentiates them. Many of our artists have got accreditation in India, but its time to broaden the horizon and the bold step taken by Inteha is just one on the road of portrayal of Pakistani talent internationally. The acceptance of the audience in this show clearly signified the need and respect of talent from any country.
Many other artists from different countries showcased their talent, entertaining the audience with their wonderful performances. The performances worth mentioning were those of the Turkish artists who performed a Sufi dance on instrumental music which was divine; the Italians performed their cultural music on violins; whereas a Russian performer did a belly dance; and, of course, our Pakistani band played their music and got a great deal of appreciation from the audience. The show was a great success, well received by the audience; a job well done by the organizer and hats off to Inteha for their extraordinary performance and effort. Hopefully, their debut album will get a splendid response and positive reception, as they received in Turkey.
Link : MAG The Weekly – Dec. 27,2008 – Jan 02 , 2009
Comments are closed.