Ajoka festival wins hearts of Indian people

LAHORE

Ajoka’s Hamsaya Theatre Festival concludes in Chandigarh, India, after winning the hearts of the Indian public on Thursday. 

The five-day theatre extravaganza has created huge buzz in Chandigarh and the audience, especially from pre-partition generations came and revived their memories about Lahore and the Sub-continent.

Like first Hamsaya Theater Festival of 2015, this festival also proved a roaring success. Tagore Hall of Chandigarh which has a capacity of 900 seats became full before the start of play and Ajoka team got standing ovations from the jam-packed public. People were admiring the theme and messages of the plays and artistic perfection of artists won the hearts of theatre lovers and veterans in India. It seemed that space which created due to absence of Panjpani Theatre Festival effectively filled by Hamsaya Theatre Festival. 

The dignitaries including Mayor of Chandigarh Sood, SSP Chandigarh Sukhchain Singh and Chandigarh Arts Council Chair Bibi Harjinder kaur came especially to witness the plays and admired the Ajoka’s performance. The Indian press praised the festival. This festival took place in Tagore Hall of Chandigarh with collaboration by Chandigarh Arts Council, Punjab Sangeet Natak Academy and groups as Manch Rang Manch and Adakar Manch and team Ajoka took five plays to India for it. The plays Included Dara, Kaun hai yeh Gustakh, Lo phir basant aaie, Kabhira khara bazaar main and Anhi Mai da sufna. All plays carried exciting themes and soulful poetry and music. 

Shahid Nadeem, who is heading the team Ajoka in India, said despite the prevailing tensions between the two countries this festival has broken the silence. Bhagat Kabir and Dara Shikwoh’s message of peace and love is winning the hearts and this theatre collaboration has diffused the tension to some extent. He hoped peace process through theatre will continue in future.