When areas near LoC reverberate with music…

From the deafening gun-roars to the soothing notes of santoor, the areas near the line of control are coming alive to some soulful music.

Sopori Academy of Music and Performing Arts (SaMaPa) led by noted Santoor maestro Abhay Rustam has taken its Aalap Music Festival to border areas of Jammu to provide a musical healing touch to the local people who have been suffering in silence for last 20 years.

The 15-day-festival, which kicked off last week, is making forays into the areas near the line of control to entertain and instill confidence among the people living in these far flung areas.
SaMaPa has already conducted one programme at Khour near the LoC where around 20,000 people joined the performance by Abhay Sopori and others.

“My aim is to provide a musical healing touch to the people. That is why I went to Khour area where I performed in a place which is just three kilometers from the LoC. There was overwhelming response to our programme. Now I am going to perform at Gigraryal, which is a LoC village, on February 10”, said Abhay.

Not only Khour, SaMaPa musicians have also performed in the border district of Rajouri. Organisers are also taking the festival to Ranbir Singh Pora and Poonch areas to entertain the people living in these border areas.

“Music brings sensitivity and sensibility and helps in overall orientation and personality development. When we start thinking, half of the battle is won. I want to open the closed minds. Those who have seen bloodshed and hear gun roars, I want to broaden their vision”, said Abhay. What has added another dimension to the whole festival is that maestros are readying to perform in the Central Jail Jammu, which houses dreaded militants and criminals.

“My father Pandit Bhajan Sopori is performing in the jail either on February 9 or 10. Music makes you more positive. Music works wonders on brain cells. So wane want to take music to them (jail inmates)”, he said.

SaMaPa is also planning to hold the similar music festival in Kashmir Valley and perform in border areas as well.