SAHMAT
8, Vithalbhai Patel House, Rafi Marg,New Delhi-110001
Telephone-2 3711276/ 23351424
e-mail-sahmat@ vsnl.com
28.12.2007
Press Note
Safdar Hashmi, actor, poet, political and street theatre activist was fatally attacked on January 1, 1989 while performing a play 20 kms away from Delhi. The spontaneous protest generated by this gruesome act led to the formation of the platform - Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust, (SAHMAT). Actors, academics, writers, painters, poets, photographers, architects, theatre, media and cinema persons and cultural activists came together with the conviction that all creative and intellectual endeavour in India upholds the values of secularism and pluralism. The imperative of defending freedom of expression was deeply felt.
SAHMAT commencing 20th year of its activities has undertaken performances, exhibition, publication of books and posters, campaigns, protests, seminars and all manners of creative programmes.
Sufi Bhakti tradition of music and poetry, the values that propelled the national movement and social reform movements have provided the basic resource material for our activities.
April 12, Safdar Hashmi's birthday is observed as National Street Theatre Day every year.
Since 1989, artists and cultural activists gather at a central place in the capital city on January 1 to pay homage to Safdar‚s memory.
This year the memorial will be held at the Vithal Bhai Patel House Lawns from 1 p.m. onwards. Apart from music, theatre, poetry recitation and modern dance this year's memorial is going to foreground the moment of the modern in the Indian cultural tradition. The theatre, poetry and music of IPTA, photography of Sunil Janah and paintings and woodcuts of Chittoprasad contribute greatly to define that moment. M.F.Husain, one of the most eminent painters of independent India, currently being hounded by the fundamentalists, has been in the forefront of fostering modern iconography. This year's memorial will have three presentations-Sunil Janah ( by Ram Rahman), Chittoprasad ( Sanjay Mullick) and M.F.Husain ( K. Bikram Singh). Sumangla Damodaran with Deepak Castelino will render some of the famous IPTA songs in different languages. Tanveer Ahmad Khan and Imran Ahmad Khan of Delhi Gharana will sing Amir Khusro's Kalam.
Vidya Shah has composed a number of songs in a new cross-cultural idiom. A CD of these songs will be released. Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, the Dhrupad maestro will also be performing accompanied on pakhawaj by Pt. Mohan Shyam Sharma.
The programme will conclude with traditional Sufi compositions by Baba Gulam Mohammad, a direct descendent of Bhai Mardana.
This year the programme will commence at 1 p.m. sharp.
Traditional food of Delhi will be available on the venue.
Ram Rahman
Madangopal Singh
M.K.Raina
Sohail Hashmi
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