Srinagar, September 7
A select audience poured in much before the commencement of the music maestro Zubin Mehta’s concert, filling over 2,000 chairs draped in white at Shalimar Bagh here this afternoon. The event, Ehsaas-e-Kashmir, conducted by Mehta and conjoined by the Kashmir composition of santoor maestro Abhay Rustum Sopori enthralled the audience —Kashmiris, those from outside the state and foreigners, mainly German man diplomats and officials.

German Ambassador Michael Stein, who hosted the event, set the tone for the concert with his opening remarks. "Distance between Munch in Germany and Srinagar is 7,076 kms. The music reduces the distance to zero…," he said.

He went on to talk about flowers and nightingales in and German and Kashmiri poets having the same resonance on nature and its beauty.

Residents of the Shalimar locality on three sides of the picturesque garden had to climb up to upper storeyes of their tin-roofed houses to have a glimpse of the show. While millions of people watched the show glued to their television sets outside in the capital city, elsewhere the Kashmir valley and across the world, these residents in over 50 houses around the garden had the opportunity to see the event live.

"It is very special," said an official of the German Embassy from New Delhi. A group of students from a local school found themselves lucky being part of the audience. "The crowd is good and there is a good response. I am lucky to be witnessing this event," said Reyan Ahmad. "Many other students were keen to come and be part of the event but they were not as lucky," he quipped.

Music lovers like Sanjay Puri from Jammu, who has watched bands perform abroad, feels very optimistic. "To get Zubin Mehta here for a performance…it is like magic. You can only get a once in a lifetime chance to watch such a performance," he said.

Amidst opposition from separatists and a section of civil society, the show was held in Shalimar Garden in the foothills of Zabarwan. The road along the famous Mughal Gardens of Nishat, Shalimar and Harwan was closed to normal traffic in view of the movement of VVIPs and VIPs, including politicians and bureaucrats apart from national and international personalities. 

Srinagar, September 7
As the countdown for the international music maestro Zubin Mehta's concert began today, Dr Ashraf, a resident of Dalgate, 3 km from Shalimar Garden, left for his routine work at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital. However, it wasn't long before he found his neighbourhood to be barricaded. Security restrictions left him with no choice but to head back home.

Although the state government did not impose any curfew in Srinagar today but the entire city was in a state of lockdown due to restrictions in place at various checkpoints. A common man's access to Ehsaas-e-Kashmir was through television channels just like people in rest of the world. People said the concert was a reminiscent of feelings of curfews, clampdowns and restrictions which the Valley faced on a regular basis. “What difference does it make to a common Kashmiri that this concert is being held in the Valley? I know that no ordinary man in the Valley has been invited. The select guest list from the valley includes acquaintances of the Chief Minister and his bureaucrats. If an ordinary person wants to attend this concert, he cannot get the passes,” Dr Shafqat Khan, a resident of Hyderpora, Srinagar, said.

The 10-km Boulverad Road stretch, where the concert's venue Shalimar Bagh is located, is usually crowded on weekends. However, today the road wore a deserted look except for the patrolling of security personnel and the movement of VIP vehicles.

Spokesperson for the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference Junaid Azim Mattu said this was the reason why a large number of people in Kashmir were against the international concert. “This concert sounds elitist to an average Kashmiri, whose civil liberties have been taken away because of a musical event. A week ago, tight security restrictions were in place in and around Mughal Gardens, which kept them out of bounds for people,” he said.

In a majority of residential areas of uptown and downtown Srinagar, people were not allowed to move to the Lal Chowk area, where a parallel concert, Haqeeqat-e- Kashmir, was being held by the Kashmir’s civil society.

Kashmir Civil Society and Development Studies member Javaid Iqbal said soon after the announcement that the Valley would host Zubin Mehta's concert, several doubts arose among people. “Saying that the concert is apolitical is a highly immature statement since the state government and political leaders are involved in organising such events. If this was meant for Kashmiris, the concert should have been thrown open to common people,” Dr Javaid said.

Some said the mega concert was nothing new in the Valley as there had been many musical events in the recent past which weren’t resisted. “I am simply surprised at the outcry against this particular event. Kashmir has hosted events of Jagjit Singh, Junoon band and other music personalities in the past. We should have given Zubin Mehta concert a similar chance to be held peacefully. However, the restrictions and curbs on the common man in the Valley when such events are held are simply uncalled for,” said Mehboob Irshad, a music student at Kashmir University.

Srinagar, September 7
Diwaan-e-Khaas (private audience hall), which was built in 1619 as part of Mughal emperor Jehangir’s fondness for his wife Nur Jehan, today reverberated with timeless classics of Beethoven, Haydn and the compositions of Kashmiri classical musician Abhay Rustum Sopori, conducted by international music maestro Zubin Mehta.

Historical data states Diwaan-e-Khaas was a special meeting point of Nur Jehan with her female friends during her husband’s rule. It was reserved only for royal ladies.

The trend of holding musical programmes in Diwaan-e-Khaas, which today hosted the 80-member contingent of the Bavarian State Orchestra, is not new.

Its walls were crafted with paper mache and walnut woodwork. It was later expanded by Jehangir’s son Shah Jehan, who would arrange special musical nights in the auditorium.

Historians say this Mughal legacy was retained till 1960s. Later, when the state government took upon the construction work of the "three terrace", Shalimar Bagh, the Mughal-era fountains dotting Diwaan-e-Khaas which were earlier illuminated with oil lamps were slowly replaced by flower pots.

Kashmiri artisans say the facelift of Shalimar Bagh, especially the painting of the auditorium's walls, may lead to permanent loss of the artwork and the heritage.

Locals have started an online petition on www.change.org urging the United Nations Educational and Scientific Research Organisation (UNESCO) and the World Heritage Committee, to include Shalimar Garden in the list of the world heritage sites.

Mir Shariq Mushtaq, a social activist, fears that regular construction works going on at the garden may drastically change its royal stature and face value which is best reflected in the architecture of the garden.

Shalimar Garden also has the highest number of chinar trees among all the Mughal gardens of the Valley and has managed to retain jovial atmosphere due to the hustle and bustle of tourists and locals.

Srinagar, September 7
The disbanded Kashmir University Students Union (KUSU) today led protests in the campus against Zubin Mehta's concert after afternoon prayers today.

Meanwhile, sources said at least 300 students from the university, specially from the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, were selected for attending the concert. However, they said, the decision had to be later cancelled.

The sources said eventually, only KU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Talat Ahmad and a few senior faculty members, including Registrar Zaffer Reshi and Dean Student’s Welfare Neelofer Khan, attended the concert. They said this led to resentment among students.

German Ambassador Michael Steiner had visited the KU campus earlier this year and had spoken to the VC about the possibility of the concert. He had spoken to students of the Faculty of Music and Fine arts Department, raising their expectations about attending the concert.

“Although the title of the concert was Ehsaas-e-Kashmir, there was nothing in it for people. KU students were an optimistic lot but it proved to be reserved for the elite only. Common masses had nothing to do with it,” said Bashir Ahmad, a student of the Humanities Department.

Students of the Music Department were particularly hopeful of an interaction with music maestro Zubin Mehta, which also could not materialise.

“We were expecting an interactive session with him. Although the concert was held just a few kilometers away from the university, students were not allowed to go,” said Ambreen, a student of the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts.

Srinagar, September 7
The first batch of 550 pilgrims from the state embarked on their Haj pilgrimage from the Srinagar International Airport on Saturday for Madinah in Saudi Arabia.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from the airport.

Omar Abdullah, while interacting with the pilgrims, prayed for successful performance of their Haj and safe return to their homeland.

“Haj pilgrims reciprocated their best wishes to the Chief Minister,” an official spokesman said.

Minister for Haj and Auqaf Peerzada Mohammad Sayed and MLC Shehnaz Ganai were also present on the occasionand conveyed their wishes to the pilgrims embarking upon the journey.

The two Air India flights, carrying 275 pilgrims in each flight, left from 
the Srinagar International Airport.

The kith and kin of the pilgrims bid adieu to the pilgrims at the Haj House. They were not allowed to accompany them to the airport so as to avoid the unnecessary rush at the airport.

Dozens of volunteers have been relocated at the Srinagar Airport and the Haj house by the authorities to help the pilgrims.

As many as 8,664 pilgrims from the state of Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to perform Haj this year and the last batch is scheduled to leave on September 23.

Srinagar, September 7
Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday paid rich tributes to Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah on his death anniversary.

In a message, the Governor described Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah as a tall leader who nurtured a dream of peace, progress and prosperity in all parts of the state.

He recalled the period during which Sheikh had worked with eminent national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and how he had strived for strengthening secularism and democracy.

The Governor referred to the crucial land reforms pioneered by Sheikh Abdullah, which laid the foundation of equitable development of the state and the high priority he had devoted to the development of health and education facilities.

"The Governor observed that the best tribute which could be paid to Sheikh Abdullah would be for the people to work with a missionary zeal for strengthening the state’s deep-rooted secular traditions and the bonds of communal harmony, brotherhood and amity, for ensuring peace, progress and prosperity," an official spokesman said.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the late leader as the architect and founder of an educative, progressive and secular democratic society in Jammu and Kashmir based on justice, equality and amity between all regions and all sections of the society.

Highlighting the struggle and sacrifices made by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah for the cause of people and the state throughout his life, Omar Abdullah said welfare and public empowerment was his cherished desire and he made all possible endeavours in this direction.

“Sheikh Sahib propagated and nurtured amity, brotherhood and mutual trust between various sections of the society and lived as a torch-bearer of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Isahi unity” he said.

In a message on the eve of the death anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah, the Chief Minister said the best way of paying tribute to the great leader was to follow his footprints and work together for achieving peace and prosperity in the state and strengthen the secular and democratic values advocated and propagated by him.

Handwara, September 7
Residents of Rajwar and some of its adjoining villages in Handwara tehsil of north Kashmir are facing acute shortage of drinking water for the past three weeks.

They said the fear of outbreak of water-borne diseases was looming large due to consumption of contaminated water from open nullahs. The villages which are worst affected are Bhatpora, Sudal, Shahlal, Khanpora, Devaspora, Dayee, Zab and Uchar.

They said the water supply to the villages had been snapped for three weeks and women were forced to fetch contaminated water from nullah.

"In the absence of water supply, we are forced to consume contaminated water from a nullah. Children are more susceptible to water-borne infections but we have no other choice," said Abdul Rashid, a Rajwar resident.

Some residents blocked the Handwara-Zachaldara road near Rajwar last week for traffic and raised slogans against the Public Health Engineering (PHE) division, Handwara.

They said despite repeated representations, the PHE division had done nothing to alleviate their problems. They said other sources of drinking water such as tube wells, ponds and wells had dried up aggravating their problems.

"Ponds and other sources of water have dried up. Despite repeated pleas, the authorities have not bothered to restore the supply," said Javid Ahmad of Badrikali.

Another protestor said, "Officials of the PHE assured us that the water supply would be restored in a few days but we continue to face acute crisis of water. If the supply is not restored at the earliest, we will be forced to take to the streets once again," said Bashir Ahmad of Bakiakar.

Locals said the Public Health Engineering division had not even provided water tankers to them. "A senior official of the PHE division, Handwara, said, "The affected villages would be provided with the tanker service soon. We will be able to resume the water supply in a few days," he said.

Srinagar, September 7
Condemning the shooting by security forces that killed four youth in Shopian, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the government was testing the patience of people in the name of security arrangements.

In a statement from New Delhi where she is currently on a visit, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said the youth had reportedly been gunned down in broad day light without any provocation.

“Dubbing them as militants to justify their killing in like rubbing salt on the wounds of their families,” Mehbooba said.

On a day when entire Kashmir had been imprisoned in the name of establishing peace through music, it was a natural fallout of the situation that all residents of Kashmir were viewed as suspects and the four innocent youth had fallen victim to that mind set, Mehbooba added.

Srinagar, September 7
Army Public School, Srinagar clinched the trophy of English Declamation and Solo Singing Competition, conducted by the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES), Northern Command The event was held at Army Public School.

Army Public Schools from Akhnoor, Rukhmuthi, Udhampur, Nagrota, Dhar Road and Srinagar participated in the same. Darkashan Sajad Malik of class X, APS, Srinagar, lifted the trophy in English declamation competition.

The topic for the declamation was “Female Infanticide, A National Shame”. School principal Sandeep Marhatta specially mentioned that it was indeed a proud moment for me, as Darkashan Sajad Malik was brought laurels not only to the school but to her family too”.

Declamation competition was followed by solo singing competition which was open for all students. Tavleen Kaur of XI (science), APS, Srinagar, stood first and mesmerised every one by her performance. The School Management, staff and students extended heartiest congratulations to the winners.