Despite facing opposition from separatists and religious leaders, inter-national icon of classical music Zubin Mehta has said his September 7 musical concert in Indian Kashmir will be a symbolic effort to bring Hindus, Muslims together.

New Delhi, Aug 31/Nationalturk – The 77-year old international icon of classical music Zubin Mehta has said his September 7 musical concert in Indian Kashmir will be a symbolic effort to bring Hindus, Muslims together.

Zubin Mehta is scheduled to perform at Shalimar garden on the banks of world famous Dal Lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir on September 7. However, his scheduled musical concert has been opposed by religious and separatist leaders besides civil society members of Indian Kashmir. They say Kashmir is a disputed territory and instead of holding musical concert, Zubin should help in improving education and health sector in the region.

There are reports that Zubin Mehta’s musical concert will go ahead on September 7 despite opposition from religious and separatist leaders and civil society members.  “The Bavarian State Orchestra will perform at Shalimar Gardens on the banks of Dal Lake on September 7,” an official said.

About 1500 people including foreign diplomats are expected to attend the musical concert, which would be aired live in several EU countries.

‘One-and a hour-hour of inner peace’

Zubin Mehta, who is married to American actor Nancy Kovak, told Wall Street Journal that his musical concert in Indian Kashmir is a symbolic effort to bring Hindus and Muslims together, to have one-and-a-half hours of inner peace and spirituality.

“That’s more important because we can’t change any physical boundaries, and we can’t convince the powers on both sides. Hopefully it will inspire people. This is very important. What music does is inspire,” he said.

Asked whether he has any special Indian or any other compositions that will be included in the Kashmir event, he said, “We are going to play a small Kashmiri piece with Kashmiri music students playing with us”.

‘It all began as a dream’

Asked what inspired him to host the event in Indian Kashmir, Zubin said, “It all began as a dream, as a lifelong ambition to do something in Kashmir, a part of the country that I love so much. We have spent quite a few vacations there with my family”.

“I have always wanted to make music there. It was a wish of mine that I expressed during a speech in Delhi last year. The German ambassador in India at whose residence that speech took place took it up as a challenge and approached the Chief Minister of Indian Kashmir who embraced the idea immediately. It all was possible due to hard work done by German Embassy in India, and cooperation from the Indian government,” he said.

Zubin Mehta, a Mumbai-born Parsi known for his flamboyant conducting style, said, “I convinced the orchestra in Munich to give up part of their holidays, to decrease their fee. Lufthansa was very generous in giving us extremely low fares, so everything came together. My friends from Bombay helped a lot. It’s been an incredible combined and tremendous effort from all parties, central to it all being the German Embassy in Delhi and German ambassador in India Steiner”.

Zubin Mehta is music director for life for the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk India News

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