“Zubin Mehta, the renowned Mumbai-born conductor of Western classical music, is going to perform in Srinagar, the summer capital of conflict-torn Indian-administered-Kashmir,” writes Vishnu Varma in Thursday’s (8/22) New York Times. “Mr. Mehta, who has longed to perform in the Kashmir Valley, will have his wish fulfilled on September 7. Mr. Mehta and the famed Bavarian State Orchestra are scheduled to perform in Shalimar garden built by a Mughal emperor on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar…. The German Embassy in New Delhi is organizing the concert in Srinagar with support from the local and federal Indian government. Around 1,500 people are expected to attend…. Germany was among the various Western countries that advised its nationals not to travel to the troubled Kashmir region in the early nineties. In July 2011, after concluding that ‘the situation has now calmed down considerably and foreigners are generally not direct targets of clashes,’ Germany revised its travel advisory to Indian-administered-Kashmir. Kashmir has a centuries-old, refined musical tradition, but few residents of the mountainous region are familiar with Western classical music.… Waheed Jeelani, a popular composer and singer based in Srinagar, was enthusiastic about Mr. Mehta’s concert…. ‘It is inspiring for the musicians of Kashmir and brings a new world-class musical experience to the listeners here.’ ”
Posted August 23, 2013
