Ghazal evening enthralls audience
PESHAWAR: The two-day annual literature, art and music festival at Edwardes College, Peshawar concluded here on Friday.
The event had different activities and ended with a musical ghazal evening in which an amateur singer Saeed Paras and a few students performed and kept the select-gathering spellbound.
The literary society, Edwardes College, conducted the annual event.Saeed Paras, as usual, stole the show by singing light Urdu and Pashto ghazals.
He is the only KP graduate of National College of Arts (NCA) in classical and light ghazal singing. Currently teaching music at a local school, he sings in Urdu, Pashto and Hindko languages.
The event came to end with a beautiful ghazal evening in which young Edwardians performed classical and semi classical Urdu and Pashto ghazals.
Haris Khan Khattak, a student, also a recipient of first prize in singing competition, sang popular numbers of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ahmad Faraz, Ghani Khan and Rahmat Shah Sail. He received a round of applause from the audience.
Haris in his brief introduction said that he had been in love with music since childhood and ghazal evening helped him in expressing his inborn talent. He was given accolades by participants for his velvety voice and unique style of expression.
Ramla Fajar, a girl student of the college who grabbed second position in singing competition, said the literary society provided her a rare opportunity to display her talent in front of a large audience. She said it was a great occasion in her life to perform on the stage.
“I will never forget this rare event. The credit goes to the literary society of our college and our teachers who encouraged us to exhibit our talent. Such activities on the campus gives not only confidence but also proves significant in student’s lives,” she observed.
Professor Hanif Rasool, in-charge of literary society, said that Edwardes College Peshawar had conducted several literary and cultural activities to keep up its golden traditions.
He said various activities included essay writing competition, trilingual declamation contests, painting competition, trilingual poetry and singing competitions were part of the two-day festival.
In Urdu poetry contest, Sadaqat Ali Bangash a student from Parachinar, grabbed first position. Yasir Shah and Hamza Khawar received second and third positions, respectively.
Saifullah, a physically challenged student, Ishaq Khan and Essa Afridi bagged first, second and third slots in Pashto poetry competition.
Professor Syed Zubair Shah, an Urdu teacher, remarked that young students had great talent and it was the responsibility of the faculty members to encourage this talent. He said students could do wonders if given an opportunity to speak out their heart and mind.
“I stand impressed that a student from a less developed tribal agency performed so well in Urdu and got first prize in poetry competition. It means there is no dearth of talent. Our youngsters are not only good at rock and pop music but also understand classical and semi classical to a great extent,” he maintained.
