Aman ki Asha now builds a literary bridge A few days ago, when the lead guitarist of the Pakistani band, Strings, suddenly started strumming the melody of Saare Jahaan Se Achha at a performance in Kolkata, the entire audience got goosebumps. This and many more such hauntingly beautiful experiences during the ongoing Aman ki Asha initiative launched by the Times of India and the Jang group in Pakistan, have revealed that, despite all the issues - the pain, the anger, the historic insanity - when it is people to people, there are strong emotional bonds in play.

The Aman ki Asha initiative, launched on the first of this year, has received overwhelming audience from the public across the nation. The initiative brought together musicians from both sides to play and sing together, showing how music and poetry can break all boundaries and touch an inner space in people, a space that yearns for harmony rather than conflict. Now comes the Aman Ki Asha Literary Festival. Flagging it off on Friday evening, two stalwart journalists and writers from both sides of the border, M J Akbar, who wrote 'India: The Siege Within' among other acclaimed books, and Zahid Hussain, author of 'Frontline Pakistan' will embark on a stimulating discussion on whether the writing that comes out of both India and Pakistan has stoked mistrust and hostility between neighbours. Titled "Reality vs Rhetoric", the 6.30pm discussion at Delhi's India Habitat Centre promises to be a thought-provoking reality check.

In Mumbai, on Monday, popular writer-columnist Chetan Bhagat and the exciting young author Mohammed Hanif, best known for his satirical "A Case of Exploding Mangoes", will be in conversation and will also read from their works at Horniman Circle Garden from 7.30pm. Former bureau chief at BBC, Hanif returned to Karachi in 2008.

Bringing some humour and lots of delight to stage will be the February 2 performance by Zia Mohyeddin, the 1933-born thespian famed for his imposing voice. At the same show at Mumbai's Sophia Bhabha Hall, Hindi play Lakeerein --- a collage of stories written by Gulzar and directed by National School of Drama alumnus Salim Arif --- will also be staged.

Lucknow's Lalit Kala Academy Auditorium will be the venue on Wednesday, February 3, for Feroz Abbas Khan's successful play, Tumhari Amrita, a moving exploration of a complex relationship, a series of letters, read by veterans Shabana Azmi and Farooque Shaikh. Zia Mohyeddin will also perform the same evening.

On February 5, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who has made films Love Aj Kal, and Jab We Met, will be in conversation with Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid, best known for Moth Smoke, which looks at urban Pakistan's sex, drugs and class conflicts and The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which made it to the Booker shortlist. This will be at Delhi's India Habitat Centre.

The series of cultural exchanges will culminate in what promises to be a memorable evening in Mumbai's Bandra Fort on February 7. Gulzar will read his poetry and Intizar Husain will read from his short stories. Despite a host of glitches, including getting visas and coordinating dates between some of the greatest artistes and minds from both sides, the response has been overwhelming. For, as Gulzar wrote, in his emotional tribute to Pakistani ghazal singer Mehdi Hasan, penned for Aman ki Asha, "Aankhon ko visa nahin lagta..."


Friday, January 29, 2010

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