[Reader-list] Yousuf Saeed's talk: Appropriating Amir Khusrau to create versions of cultural identity in India and Pakistan, March 11, Delhi

[Chintan Girish Modi]

>From http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=196047143750781

"Appropriating Amir Khusrau to create versions of cultural identity in India
and Pakistan"

A talk by Yousuf Saeed

Chaired by Prof. Sunil Kumar (Deptt. of History, Delhi University)
...
at 6:30 pm, on 11th March 2011 (Friday), in Seminar Hall (above IIC library)
India International Centre, New Delhi

The name of Amir Khusrau, a 14th century poet-composer employed with several
rulers of the Delhi Sultanate has liberally been used by the practitioners
of a variety of fields such as music, literature, history and religion to
generate a sense of cultural identity both in India as well as Pakistan,
often using rather improbable claims. This illustrated talk explores some
examples from the classical music and popular literature that have been
attributed over the years to Khusrau but also contested by the historians,
especially through recent research. What are the factors that created the
cultural legend about the poet and how his name still inspires the artistic
creation for a large number of musicians all over south Asia? The talk uses
audio and video clips besides readings from Khusrau’s poetry.

Yousuf Saeed, a Delhi-based independent researcher and filmmaker, has been
exploring the legend of Amir Khusrau in south Asia since 1995 through his
documentary films as well as a website dedicated to his works.

Entry is free. For details about the venue, see http://www.iicdelhi.nic.in/.
For more on Amir Khusrau, see www.alif-india.com

India International Centre
40, Max Mueller Marg,
New Delhi - 110003
Tel.: 011 - 24619431 011 - 24619431