In war-torn Afghanistan, music a casualty

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 23

“Music killed in Afghanistan!” This is a message sent by a student from Afghanistan to his Indian Ustad Narinder Narula — globally acclaimed sitar maestro — apprising him of the situation there ever since the Taliban took over the reins.

The message was sent by Ustad Fazel Sepand, a native of Herat, Afghanistan, on WhatsApp, requesting the Indian maestro to tell the world that music now finds no place in Afghanistan. Fazel runs a music institute named ‘Honarestan Tarana’.

Ustad Narula, who was in Ludhiana recently, said: “I have not met Fazel personally. After watching my videos on YouTube, he contacted me on WhatsApp and started taking sitar lessons. However, his recent text left me disturbed. Afghan people are trying to raise their voice for their safety and rights. But as their voices are being suppressed, so are their dreams.”

Dreams shattered

Fazel’s recent text left me disturbed. Afghan people are trying to raise their voice for their safety and rights. But as their voices are being suppressed, so are their dreams.

—Ustad Narinder Narula, Sitar maestro

In his message, Fazel further wrote that his department was shut and everything had come to an end. He asked the maestro to tell him about his other disciples, their culture and how they learn music. He made a request to start a programme on Facebook and other social media platforms for helping young Afghan musicians, who are passionate about singing and playing various instruments. Fazel also wrote that artistes in Afghanistan were poor and didn’t have much support from the world but connecting them with others would definitely heal their wounds.

Meanwhile, the local industrialists are reluctant to talk to the buyers or middlemen in Afghanistan. Some of them say their stocks are stuck and there is no response from the buyers there while a few others are avoiding to talk, fearing their calls might be recorded.