Three-day fest celebrates legacy of 16th-century poet Rahim

The Capital's air suffused with the musical renditions of Rahim's dohas as a three-day festival celebrated the legacy and works of the 16th-century poet here. 

Touted to be a "first of its kind event", the festival organised by Inter Globe foundation and Aga Khan Trust for Culture, saw concerts and conferences on the life of Rahim, who was also a translator and administrator in Mughal emperor Akbar's court.

Folk singers from Rajasthan and qawwals from Uttar Pradesh joined hands to give the bard's couplets a folk twist, as the musical groups of Rehmat Khan Langa and Mohammed Ahmed Warsi rendered the Urdu translations for the audience. 

"Rahim Khan is one of the many fathers of our national language Hindi. And that was his contribution in making what we are today. This festival other than reminding us of the deep philosophical culture of our nation, also talks about what we are going to be in future. 

"The past and our heritage is like rain and without rain there will always be a drought. So it is the past and the legacy that converts the drought into a fertile land," MoS for External Affairs MJ Akbar, who inaugurated the festival on March 10, said. 

The Aga Khan Trust which has undertaken the task of restoration of the Tomb of Khan-i-Khana in Nizamuddin East here, said the resuscitation process is likely to complete "by 2018". 

The festival emphasised on the need for reviving the works by poets like Rahim to spread the message of peace and harmony. 

"Celebrating Rahim is an occasion for all of us to undertake more such quick journeys to a galaxy of speakers, poets and artists who have interpreted Rahim in their own ways," Rohini Bhatia, Director Inter Globe Foundation, said.