LAHORE, May 18: The Lahore Arts Council on Friday organised a colourful music night featuring folk singers and instrumentalists from Multan.

The event was organised at the Alhamra Art Center and the stage had the ambience of a village. A door made of mud had the welcome remarks ‘Ji ayan noo’.

“We have arranged this Seraiki music night to redress the grievance of the artistes from less privileged areas, who deeply feel being left out from the mainstream entertainment scene,” said Asif Chaudhry, deputy director programme of the Lahore Arts Council, standing amid hundreds of shredded autumn leaves scattered in the lawns.

“It’s a fiesta of three music nights in one go having three flavours of regional languages – Seraiki, Potohari and Punjabi. The series has kicked off with the Seraiki music followed by two more nights presenting regional music exuberance,” he told Dawn.

The audience enjoyed a sublime song ‘Sohnay Raang di Dachi’ by Nadia Hashmi, a 19-year-old singer from Multan. In the backdrop of the song, one could see camel dancing to the beats of drums in the rear lawn, creating a harmony between singing and traditional camel dance.

All songs were essentially in the Seraiki dialect. Shamim, an MSc student of mass communication at Multan’s Bahauddin Zakariya University, strapped audience to their seats by singing a melodious number ‘Wasyain Sawnian’. Sobia Malik, an accomplished singer and a radio artiste, fuelled much enthusiasm by singing ‘Pardesi Dhola’.

The only male singer from Multan bunch of singers, Fayaz Bokhari did some passionate singing and his folk melody ‘Changa Sada Yar’ won fair appreciation by a responsive audience. The singers sang a number of other songs too, exploring the vistas of melodious Seraiki music.

The next two music nights in the line will also feature a number of folk singers and instrumentalists.

The LAC has revived the tradition of open-sky music nights after a gap of four years. The trend was set by former director of the council, the late Asghar Husain Gilani. Mr Asif Chaudhry has played a significant role in the revival of these live music nights in the open supported by live orchestra.

“We shall hold more such literary and cultural gatherings to pay a tribute to the summer evenings. Information and Culture Secretary Mohyuddin Wani has also directed us to organise quality programmes as he wants to see Alhamra a culturally thriving body,” Mr Chaudhry said.