‘Katrean Heund Shahar’: Mehbooba releases Gazanfar Ali’s poetic collection

Srinagar, July 04: Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday released the sixth poetic collection “Katrean Heund Shahar” of physician-turned-poet Dr Gazanfar Ali (Gazal) here.
The collection was released in a literary event held at the Tagore Hall in Srinagar. Mehbooba was the chief guest whereas noted writer, scholar and author Prof Mohammad Zaman Azuda was the guest of honour on the occasion.
A scintillating musical extravaganza presented by the famous singer of Jammu and Kashmir Asad Anjum was one of the top highlights of the literary event.
The function was organised by Kashmir Markaz Adab Wa Saqafart, Chrari Sharief, one of the front-ranking cultural and literary movements of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehbooba, in her presidential address, said, “The Kashmiri language is our real identity. We should focus on teaching Kashmiri to our children which was imperative for protecting our identity.”
Prof Zaman Azurda, Prof Shahd Ramzan, Prof Farooq Fayaz and Ali Ahsan presented thought-provoking papers on the book and gave a bird’s eye view of the content of the poems in the collection. They said poetry depicts the miseries of a common person.
Among the well-attended audience included art lovers and cultural activists from across Kashmir, close acquaintances of Dr Gazanfar Ali, especially his family circle and those from the medical profession, and a galaxy of literary personalities including President Adbi Markaz Kamraz, Mohammad Amin Bhat, Mushtaq Mehram, Yunis Waheed, Rashid Shaad, Nazir Salik, Yaseen Madhosh, Shakeel ul Rehman, Tariq Jameel, Yousf Shaheen, Nazim Nazir, Shabir Mujahid, and G Q Bedar.
General Secretary Anayat Gul conducted the proceedings of the cultural event whereas Dr Gazanfar Ali presented a vote of thanks.