In its ninth edition, Jashn-e-Rekhta has gradually become one of the must-attend events on the social calendar of Delhi, says Saimi Sattar
The fact that the crowds have swelled is obvious even to a casual observer who has been visiting Jashn-e-Rekhta since its second edition. How many of them reached the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium for the pure love of Urdu could be anyone’s guess as the festival has gradually acquired the connotation of must-be-seen at event in the December calendar. Or maybe it has just become the place to rub shoulders with Bollywood celebrities or post check-ins on social media as the number of people clicking selfies at several premier spots were practically tripping over each other.
While entering, one encountered the beautiful pandals with colourful strips adorning the ceiling at each venue. There were, of course, performances and discussions which form the mainstay of the festival along with the sideshows which consist of food stalls and vendors selling different merchandise. However, the proceedings this year were marred, especially on the third day, with reports of violence coming in from Jamia Milia Islamia. In between the debates about which session to attend next, snatches of conversation could be heard about the Central University as well.
The inauguration on the first day by Dr Karan Singh was followed by a performance by singer Harshdeep Kaur who set the stage on fire with her foot-tapping numbers.
The second day saw a variety of performances where Javed Akhtar, speaking on Sahir Luhiyanvi, shared not just his work but his personal life too. While he elaborated on Ludhiyanvi’s paradoxical nature, the loudest roars and appreciation were reserved for the time when Akhtar said that increasingly the way to judge if a personal was nationalistic was to find out if s/he hated anyone or not? Coming against the backdrop of his latest recital of his poem, Jo baat kehte darte hain sab, tu woh baat likh (write what everyone is afraid of writing), there was no mistaking who was at the receiving end of his subtle criticism.
Old friends Munawwar Rana and Rahat Indori got together to discuss the falling standards of mushairas while detailing the perils of inviting poets on the basis of instagram likes. Peppered with funny incidents, it was a display of the camaraderie that the two poets share.
The next day, too, saw Bollywood representation. While at one place actor Divya Dutta held forth on her book followed by Piyush Mishra, at the larger enclosure, sufi Kathak dancer Manjari Chaturvedi performed on the Begums and Baijis of Bollywood. Ustad Shujaat Khan wove magic on the sitar with poetry written by the likes of Amir Khusrau and Krishna Bihari Noor.
In the evening, a rock fusion band, Indie Routes, tried to match the high notes of Ustad Nusra Fateh Ali Khan and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
A performance by Jaspinder Narula concluded the ninth edition of the Rekhta, even as the initial days leading upto it were mired in a controversy. The festival, which till date, had proclaimed to celebrate Urdu, in its posters had changed it to say it was a festival of Hindustani languages. The uproar that followed on social media meant that it was restored to the original.
