The Gandhara Hindko Board, a literary-cum-cultural organisation, arranged a grand open-air Hindko Natia Mushaira here on Saturday. The poetic sitting started at 8 pm and continued late night.
The scion of a distinguished religious family of Peshawar, Taj Agha, was the chief guest. Noted Hindko poet, writer, research scholar and laureate of the Pride of Performance Award, Professor Khatir Ghaznavi presided the event.
Mohammad Ziauddin, Ahmad Nadeem Awan and Zaffar Naveed Jani conducted the programme that was attended by 400 people.
As many as 30 poets from different districts of the province, including Peshawar, Nowshera, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan and Hazara region turned up express their reverence for the Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Haji Mohammad Haleem Jan, chief organiser, Assistant Professor Dr Adnan Gul, vice-chairman, and Mohammad Ziauddin, secretary for the Gandhara Hindko Board, welcomed the participants. The board office-bearers called for efforts both from the public and private sectors for the preservation and promotion of Hindko language and Hindkowan culture. They also asked the people to make the two-day "Hindko Conference" scheduled in Peshawar for 19th and 20th of November a success by extending all help to the Gandhara Hindko Board in making arrangements for the same.
The chief guest, Taj Agha, said Naat was a source of expressing love and respect for the Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). He praised the Gandhara Hindko Board for regularly arranging Hindko Naatia Mushaira in the holy month of Ramazan, saying such sittings were urgently needed to turn people towards positive activities.
A member of the NWFP Assembly from Peshawar, Syed Zahir Ali Shah, Nazim of Peshawar district, Haji Ghulam Ali, and Nazim of Town 1, Haji Shaukat Ali, also joined the gathering.
In their brief speeches, all the three praised the Gandhara Hindko Board for carrying out literary and cultural activities. They pledged all-out support to the board in holding the grand "Hindko Conference, next month.
Terming the October 8 quake a great hour of trial, the secretary for the board, Mohammad Ziauddin, said the office-bearers and members of the board had made their contribution to the work being done for the tremor-victims without going public. He leads special prayers for the quake victims.
It may be mentioned here that Hindko poetic sittings used to be a distinctive feature of the cultural life of Peshawar in early 1940s.
The Yakatoot Chowk was a favourite place for such gatherings. The Gandhara Hindko Board which is working for the preservation and promotion of the Hindko language and Hindkowan culture for the last 12 years has revived this old tradition by holding regularly the Naatia Mushaira in the heart of the Walled City of Peshawar.-PR
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