[Reader-list] Invite to Sanjha Basant Festival, Delhi

[Lehar ..]

>Dear Friends
>You are invited to share our Sanjhi Virasat..please
>come if you can.. and spread the word.. among
Delhiites and all those who
>love and believe in India. Please get back to us if
you have any ideas and would like to volunteer or help
out in any other way.
>Peace
>Lehar.
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>-

>Organised religion is the prop of a man who has not
found his Self/ God
>within.
>- Shaheed Bhagat Singh
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: "Yousuf <ysaeed7 at yahoo.com>" Subject: Basant
festival in February
> >(Delhi)
> >Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 17:21:18 -0000
> >
> >Basant Utsav 2003
> >A Festival of Spring, Colours, Music, and Festivity
> >6-9 February 2003, New Delhi
> >
> >Dear friends
> >
> >The end of a chilly winter. The beginning of
spring. And a festival
> >called Basant celebrating the fragrance of flowers
and the explosion
> >of colours. As we venture out of the city, a lush
carpet of yellow
> >mustard flowers spreads for miles through the
verdant Indian
> >farmland.  There is singing and dancing, laughter
and joy, welcoming
> >this beautiful season. A joy which courses through
every vein. A
> >laughter which does not know differences of
religion, caste or creed.
> >It should not come as a great surprise to anyone
that a large number
> >of North Indian Muslims also celebrate Basant
Panchami, like their
> >Hindu brethren.  A tradition initiated eight
hundred years ago by the
> >famous poet Amir Khusrau. A celebration kept alive
uninterrupted,
> >unmarred by the vagaries of time.
> >
> >Buoyed by the success of Basant Utsav 2002, we seek
to continue the
> >celebration on a grander scale  beginning February
6, 2003. From a
> >one day programme limited to one venue the Utsav
proposes to be a
> >Four Day  Long Event spread across the twin
repositories of Delhi's
> >culture - Nizamuddin and Mehrauli.
> >
> >We intend to mobilize and create awareness among
people, not only
> >about these great poets but also their message of
hope in
> >togetherness. Heritage Walks, Painting Competition
for the
> >differently abled, Film Shows, Exhibition, Quawwali
and Mushaira have
> >been planned to mark this event and to give back
this Utsav its old
> >world charm and glory. We also intend to bring out
a souvenir on this
> >occasion.
> >
> >We intend to achieve it through a sustained
publicity campaign
> >involving all media which shall culminate with the
Basant Utsav
> >beginning Thursday, February 6, 2003.
> >
> >We are not only looking orward to your
participation in the festival,
> >but also help us find some sponsors for the various
activities
> >planned. Kindly see the details below and send in
your feedback.
> >
> >Thanking You,
> >
> >Yousuf Saeed, Vagish Jha, Ajai Chawla, and other
friends
> >For Communicators Cooperative
> >
> >Some details about our last year's Basant fest can
be found on the
> >folowing sites:
> >http://www.cc-india.org/basant.html
> >http://www.alif-india.com
> >-------
> >
> >Basant Utsav
> >A Celebration of the unique cultural legacy of Sufi
Basant
> >
> >Unique is the festival of Basant. Celebrating the
fragrant and
> >colourful charms of spring, the Hindu festival of
Basant Panchami,
> >also marks the invocation of the Goddess of
Learning and Knowledge,
> >Saraswati. Inspired and enlivened by the local
tradition Amir Khusru
> >wrapped himself in a yellow attire, plucked a bunch
of sparkling
> >yellow flower of  'Sarson' (mustard) and presented
them to Hazrat
> >Nizamuddin who was in deep melancholy due to a
personal grief. He
> >broke into laughter by the dress and gesture of
Amir Khusru. And thus
> >began the celebration of
> >Basant Utsav.  Eight hundred years later, the
tradition continues
> >uninterrupted. Even today, Qawwali resonates in the
precinct amidst
> >serene gaiety and collective bliss on this day.
> >Communicators' Cooperative (Cc) invites you to be a
part of this
> >living tradition where centuries merge in an
eclectic and  ecstatic
> >celebration of blissful acceptance & seamless
fusion. We have planned
> >a four day long Programme to mark the occasion this
year.
> >As a multi-state cooperative of creative
professionals Cc seeks your
> >association to turn it into an unforgettable event.
 Given your
> >commitment towards strengthening the great
multi-cultural
> >heritage of Hindustan we feel assured of your
support and
> >participation. A blue print of proposed programme
follows.
> >
> >That this event will garner support from all walks
of the society is
> >by now a given. Aspiring  to be a platform where
the privileged and
> >not so privileged can meet, communicate, articulate
and understand,
> >the event we are sure would become the platform for
sharing. Sharing
> >of hopes and aspirations, love and joy, resources
and privileges.
> >This is the hope with which this festival is being
launched and this
> >is what we are set to achieve.
> >With you all coming together with us of course.
> >
> >The Basant Blueprint
> >
> >Day I Thursday, February 6, 2003
> >Basanti Walk
> >10.30 a.m. Venue: Humayun's Tomb
> >THE NIZAMMUDDIN AREA in Delhi is the proud bearer
of its history and
> >unbroken traditions. All that is harmonious and
magnificent has found
> >space over here and then lived on in great
splendour. Art, Culture,
> >Cuisine and the Spiritual. Sufi Saints, Emperors,
Poets and
> >Intellectuals. They have all gained and grown under
the munificent
> >and peaceful glow of the Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia.
> >For over eight hundred years Sufi Basant  is being
celebrated here
> >with great gusto and camaraderie, so unique to the
abode of the
> >Hazrat Sahib. On the Basant Panchami day, Sufis in
their yellow robe
> >and turban/cap carrying yellow mustard flowers sing
songs written by
> >poets of the eminence of Amir Khusru and Rahim.
> >The Basanti Walk will wind its way from the
Humayun's Tomb and the
> >wide treelined avenues in its immediate vicinity to
the narrow
> >fragrant alleys leading upto the dargah of Hazrat
Nizamuddin Aulia on
> >the other side of the road. An unbroken tradition
from the days of
> >Amir Khusru we will walk through these lanes,
bye-lanes and monuments
> >that shaped our history and learn more about them.
The walk will
> >culminate at the Rahim's Tomb.
> >
> >Saraswati Vandana
> >12.30 p.m. Venue: Rahim's Tomb
> >BASANT PANCHAMI MARKS the day of celebration of
learning and
> >knowledge. In a large part of the country, children
are initiated
> >into education on this day. But all children are
not so fortunate.
> >Run away kids and orphans are certainly not. We aim
to run a unique
> >musical workshop where a select group of these not
so privileged kids
> >will gather and learn. Saraswati Vandana  written
by the great poet
> >Suryakant Tripathi Nirala which will be set to
music by a giant of
> >Indian Classical Music. This choir trained by Cc
will perform at the
> >Rahim's tomb on this very auspicious day.
> >
> >We will have audiences from nearby areas who would
participate in the
> >formal Saraswati Vandana by these children. Young
people from
> >schools, colleges and other institutions would be
invited to
> >participate. We aim to target 20 schools and 10
colleges which can be
> >asked specifically to come and join and bear
witness to this splendid
> >gathering. This function will be concluded with
setting free 200
> >yellow air balloons with messages of peace and
harmony on them.
> >
> >Basanti Udaan
> >History tells us that Basant in Mughal era was
characterized by a
> >bold spread of yellow colours in all forms. Kites
being the most
> >important manifestation of this festival of
freedom, gaiety, colours
> >and harmony. Amritsar or Lahore. Kite flying is
also the one feature
> >of Basant which unites people living on both sides
of Wagah. A kite-
> >flying contest shall be held on the Rahim's Tomb
lawns to mark this
> >feeling of unity.
> >Enthusiasts of kite flying from Delhi and other
places shall be
> >invited to participate. Makers of kites may be
invited from Old
> >Delhi, Rampur, Rajasthan and other towns.
> >Mustard yellow will be the theme of the kites. Some
kite makers would
> >be able to set up temporary shops in the area -
selling and giving
> >lecture-demonstrations on how to fly a kite and how
to make the
> >manjha (thread) etc. Some kites would carry message
of universal
> >brotherhood so that when they fall off in far away
places, they carry
> >messages across the city.
> >Approximately 200-250 people are likely to
participate actively in
> >this event. Guidelines, precautions for
kite-flyers, posters and
> >banners shall be printed for the occasion.
> >
> >Kavi Sammelan/Mushaira
> >
> >2.30 p.m. Venue: Ghalib Tomb/Ghalib Academy Hall
> >
> >BASANT UTSAV DOES not belong to any one religion.
Instead it is a
> >celebration of the glorious nature, its splendid
hues, fragrance and
> >vibrations
> >and hence belongs to every one.  It is symbolic of
the joy and gaiety
> >that courses through our veins. Nizamuddin is also
the area which
> >produced literary giants like Amir Khusru, Rahim
Khankhana and Mirza
> >Ghalib. To celebrate these great sons of Saraswati,
 this poetry
> >session would be a unique amalgamation of  the
talents of seasoned
> >and young kavi and shayars wrting in Hindi and
Urdu. Giving all of us
> >an opportunity to invoke our muse and grant us our
wish to create a
> >world of collective bliss and harmony.
> >
> >Sufi Basant
> >
> >5.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.
> >ON THE DAY of Basant Panchami, inspired and
enlivened by the local
> >tradition, Amir Khusru wrapped in a yellow attire,
plucked a bunch of
> >sparkling yellow flowers and presented them to
Hazrat Nizamuddin who
> >was in deep melancholy due to a personal grief. He
broke into
> >laughter by the dress and gestures of Amir Khusru.
And thus began the
> >celebration. Eight Hundred years later, the
tradition continues
> >uninterrupted.
> >People join the traditional procession of Sufis
singing the praise of
> >Basant, heading towards the Dargah of Hazrat
Nizammuddin Aulia for
> >paying obeisance to the great Saint and listening
to the quawwals.
> >300-500 people are expected to accompany us to the
Dargah wearing
> >yellow T-shirts and scarves.
> >6.30 p.m.- 7.30 p.m.
> >Traditional paper lamps would be flown near the
Dargah. About 50 such
> >lamps shall be flown that shall be visible in the
night sky from a
> >distance.
> >
> >Day II Friday, 7th February 2003
> >
> >Basanti Sanskriti
> >10.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m Venue: Rahim's Tomb
> >IN THE TIMES gone by, kings and rulers organized
literary seminars
> >and get-togethers on Basant Panchami day. Poets,
dramatists and
> >writers were felicitated and rewarded on this
occasion. Great dramas
> >written of Kalidasa and other dramatists were
played before the
> >audience during this festival. This year's Basant
focuses on the
> >education of differently abled and special
children.
> >Thematic painting competitions will be organised
for young children
> >from juvenile homes and schools which are engaged
in the education
> >for the physically challenged. The idea is also to
have children
> >studying in regular schools to come, interact and
understand their
> >differently abled soulmates through this special
event. Eminent
> >painters would be invited as judges for this show. 
Schools from the
> >National Capital Region will be approached to
participate in this
> >event. We intend to put up posters specific to this
competition at
> >institutions and would also print over 5000 forms/
brochures which
> >can be supported by publicity in newspapers and the
electronic media.
> >We expect approximately 300 young children to
participate in this
> >event.
> >Basanti Bioscope
> >2.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. Venue : Ghalib Academy
> >BASANT HAS CAUGHT the imagination of filmmakers and
audiences alike
> >for several generations now. To celebrate the
flowering of such
> >imaginations a day long screening of popular films
on the theme of
> >Basant shall be organised. This will not only
feature documentaries
> >but also Hindi film scenes and song vignettes.
> >Brochures, posters and banners related to the event
shall be printed
> >and put up at academic institutions and popular
places to ensure
> >greater participation. Direct mail and invitations
shall be sent to
> >eminent individuals and institutions for
participation and viewing of
> >the films.
> >
> >Day III  Saturday, 8th February, 2003
> >Basanti Prabhat Pheri & Sair-e-Virasat
> >The Heritage Walk
> >9.00 a.m. to 12.30 a.m
> >From Hauz e shamshi (venue of Phool Walon Ki Sair)
> >to the Mehrauli Complex
> >The rich cultural heritage of Mehrauli has
contributed immensely to
> >the Sufi tradition and has been an active site for
Basant
> >celebration. A landmark event in Delhi's cultural
calendar is Phool
> >Waalon Ki Sair  which is steeped and grounded in
the lanes of
> >Mehrauli. The site where the foundations of Delhi
were laid has
> >historical monuments spread all around it -
overshadowed by the
> >towering Qutub Minar. In order to bring awareness
about the cultural
> >heritage of the city that was Mehrauli, this day of
Basant would
> >begin with a Heritage walk.
> >People from all walks of life - intellectuals,
academician,
> >filmmakers, students and common people - shall take
a Prabhat Pheri
> >around the great historic monuments of Mehrauli
area with historians
> >and eminent residents of this area guiding them.
This aims at
> >promoting an appreciation of our great heritage and
to foster
> >solidarity and harmony among the communities.
> >A heritage map of the area is proposed to be
brought out for the
> >occasion for wide distribution. The people shall be
wearing yellow  T-
> >shirts and scarves. Apart from 10-15 banners at
important places in
> >the area at least 5000 leaflets shall be
distributed in the
> >surrounding areas through newspapers and direct
mail for mobilising
> >maximum participation.
> >
> >Basanti Haat
> >
> >12.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.Venue: Mehrauli Complex
> >To be formally inaugurated by a celebrity Basanti
Haat would be a two
> >day itinerant bazaar to be based in Mehrauli.
Stalls shall be set up
> >selling all kinds of stuffs related to the theme of
Basant -
> >handicrafts, clothes, flowers, food, drinks,
posters, photographs,
> >greeting cards, calendars, books, music cassettes,
CD-ROMs, kites,
> >and other material. A speciality of this day is
Kheer, sweet rice
> >(yellow) with almonds, raisins and cashew nuts
added to it Karhi
> >chawal (rice with a yellow curry) is a must in the
afternoon. Vendors
> >and booksellers shall be invited to take up these
stalls on hire. All
> >materials would carry messages of peace and
equality and would be
> >sold at nominal rates.
> >The publicity for the event shall be supported
through distribution
> >of 5000 brochures, 300 posters and 10-15 banners.
> >
> >Basanti Jhoom/Nritya The Spring Dance
> >
> >3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. Venue: Mehrauli Complex
> >FOLK DANCE AND Song troupes would be invited to
perform through the
> >day at selected places in Mehrauli. The theme of
the dress and
> >music/dance would be Basant. The dance stage, the
choreography and
> >the presentation would be immaculate and evocative
of the spirit of
> >Basant. The dances would be participatory in nature
that implies that
> >the audience would be encouraged to join in.
> >
> >
> >Day IV  Sunday, 9th February,2003
> >
> >Basanti Prabhat Pheri & Sair-e-Virasat
> >The Heritage Walk
> >10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
> >From Qutub Minar, Mehrauli to Mehrauli Complex
> >A walk conducted by eminent historians,
archaeologist, and other
> >personalities shall be undertaken around the
Mehrauli area. The walk
> >shall culminate at Mehrauli Complex, the venue for
the Haat. The walk
> >shall serve as an opportunity for scholars and
people interested in
> >knowing about India's cultural heritage to have a
close interaction
> >with the walkers. A map of the walk along with a
brief history of the
> >monuments shall be printed as a brochure.
> >At least 800 people are expected to participate in
these Heritage
> >Walks. Wearing yellow T-shirts and scarves these
people shall be
> >conducted through the Mehrauli area by experts. The
publicity for
> >this walk would be ensured through distribution of
maps, handouts and
> >direct mail. Posters and banners shall also be
displayed at vantage
> >points..
> >
> >Basanti Haat
> >12.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Venue: Mehrauli Complex
> >THE HAAT INAUGURATED the previous day shall
continue on this day.
> >Basanti Samaa
> >3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.Venue: Mehrauli Complex
> >AN EVENING OF qawwalis, folk and classical music
concert by eminent
> >qawwals and classical singers. The culminating
event we aim to end
> >the celebrations on a real grand note. For this a 
highly evolved
> >stage and sound technology must be put in place.
> >We propose to have artists of the eminence of the
Wadali Brothers,
> >Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Madan Gopal Singh, Manjit Bawa,
Shubha Mudgal, Bhai
> >Baljeet Singh to come and grace the occasion and
share that is the
> >most endearing to them all. Music written and
composed by the great
> >Sufi and Bhakti Saints.
> >
> >THE BASANTI  BINDING FACTORS
> >
> >BASANTI POCKET FLAGS
> >Small yellow coloured flags symbolizing peace and
harmony shall be
> >sold all over Delhi throughout the campaign.
Stickers for cars would
> >also be printed.
> >
> >BASANTI SOUVENIRS
> >Printed souvenirs carrying articles related to
Basant and poetry,
> >stories, history, and literature on Basant in
Hindi, Urdu and English
> >shall be distributed during the entire campaign.
> >
> >BASANTI BOOKMARKS
> >Bookmarks related to Basant shall be printed and
distributed.
> >
> >BASANTI RAFFLE
> >A raffle will be conducted on the penultimate day
with the prize
> >distribution during Basanti Samaa, the musical
concert at the end of
> >celebrations.
> >
> >OTHER MEMORABILIA
> >Other memorabilia associated with the 4 day Basanti
festival will be
> >sold  as a  package. This would include a T-shirt,
a scarf, a
> >bookmark, a map of  the heritage walk, a flag, a
souvenir etc. These
> >would be sold during the campaign. Video cassette
containing
> >clippings of films showing Basant, an audio
cassette  with songs
> >related to Basant may be added to the package and
/or may be sold
> >separately during or even after the festival.
> >
> >VIDEO COVERAGE
> >Video coverage of the entire festival: Digital
video shooting and
> >editing would be done so that a feature programme
can be mounted to
> >be shown by various TV channels.
> >
> >DIGITAL AUDIO COVERAGE
> >Digital audio coverage of the shows would be done
which can be
> >packaged as CD-ROMs and audio tapes which can be
sold to commemorate
> >the event later.
> >
> >PUBLICITY
> >Publicity for the event shall be managed through
invitations,
> >handouts, Print and Electronic Media Publicity
apart from
> >advertisements in the newspapers.
> >
> >Basant 2003
> >
> >Aims and Objectives
> >
> >People cutting across religions, communities and
nationalities would
> >be involved to turn the Basant 2003 celebration as
a unique vibrant
> >and truly People's Festival.
> >
> >The locations would be such that they not only
represent
> >the 'traditionality' of the event but would be
easily accessible to
> >people of all communities.
> >
> >The events would consciously invoke and canvas for
inter religious
> >solidarity and harmony and must be perceived by
people as the
> >harbinger of peace and prosperity through amity and
affection.
> >
> >Events involving different target groups but not
mutually exclusive
> >groups would encourage participation of people
belonging to different
> >age and income groups.
> >
> >By highlighting a forgotten festival and several
historical monuments
> >this event would aim at providing a tremendous
fillip to Delhi's
> >Tourism.
> >
> >(Sponsors for most of the above activities/products
are required.
> >Kindly contact us at basant at cc-india.org or
yousufsaeed at india.com )
> >
> >
> >


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