Storytelling is our great literary and cultural capital: Dr. Shams Iqbal

Delhi University Literature Festival 1.0 organized a program of musical storytelling "Kehat Kabir" in collaboration with National Urdu Council, in which renowned storyteller Syed Sahil Agha and popular ghazal singer Dr. Neeta Pandey Negi presented stories and couplets about Kabir Das.
According to the ongoing release, before the program, National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language, Dr. Shams Iqbal, expressed his views and said that storytelling is not just an art, but an integral part of our spiritual and cultural heritage. It has wrapped centuries of civilization and history under its feet. Storytelling is the eminence of the art of subtlety, where a lonely person sits on the ground with the fluctuations of his voice, eye movement and hand gestures, and builds a world of castles in the sky and the world of the underworld. This art began in the thirteenth century, when the Urdu language was growing. Tales from Arabia and Persia settled in the scent of Indian soil, then storytelling came into existence and when we talk about its roots, the name of Hazrat Amir Khusrau shines like the sun. Khusrau, with his extraordinary intelligence and mystical insight, gave the spirit to storytelling that took it from the palace courts to the dargahs and streets. He taught us that stories are not just a way of passing time, but also a means of enlightening hearts. Storytelling connects us to our roots. When a storyteller, dressed in a white robe and wearing a hat, appears in the gathering, he is no longer just an individual, but an ambassador of a bygone era. This art teaches us patience, gives us the skill of listening, and above all, keeps the Urdu language and Indian culture alive. In the world of storytelling, the conversation remains incomplete without mentioning the great stories like Talism-e Hoosh Raba. In these stories, there are such complex and amazing incidents of talisman and ayari that the listener forgets himself, but their real beauty is the delicacy of Urdu language, the sophistication of idioms and the magic of words, which is rarely seen in today's modern fantasy films. Syed Sahil Agha is an important name in the revival of this art. The musical narrative "Kehat Kabir" is a link in this chain. Music is the language that goes straight to the heart. The program "Kehat Kabir" is a shining example for today.
He said that Sufi saint Kabir Das, whose whole life is a message. In this busy and noisy age of technology and internet, the promotion of storytelling is very important, because it enriches our language, imagination and culture. He further said that Sahil Agha, Dr. Neeta Pandey Negi and artists like them who are carrying forward this ancient torch are worthy of praise. We should support them wholeheartedly. NCPUL has always been patronizing this tradition. Dr. Shams Iqbal thanked Delhi University for organizing this important program and especially Prof. Yogesh Singh (Vice Chancellor of Delhi University), Prof. Rajni Abi (Director South Campus Delhi University), Prof. Anup Lathar, Prof. Neera Agnimitra, Prof. Ravi Tekchandani and Prof. Mushtaq Alam Qadri, with whose support this event was organized. Apart from the mentioned personalities, Prof. Anwar Alam Pasha, Prof. Imran Chaudhary, Prof. Mithan Kumar, staff of National Urdu Council and a large number of audience were present on this occasion.