New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) The ninth edition of Jashn-e-Rekhta welcomed scores of Urdu enthusiasts across age, gender and religion who gathered to celebrate the rich culture and traditions of the Urdu language.

The annual cultural extravaganza, organised by Rekhta Foundation, opened on Friday with a promise to showcase over 200 artists across more than 40 sessions, spread over three stages.

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This year's edition brings together an exciting blend of Ghazals, Sufi music, Qawwali, Mushaira, Storytelling, poetry recitations and interactive sessions, featuring celebrity conversations and masterclasses.

Fatima, a doctor by profession and a regular at Rekhta for three years, said “its vibe attracts people despite their busy schedules”.

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“Rekhta itself is very attractive. Everything is well taken care of, especially language and elegance. It is a beautiful feeling to be here,” she told PTI.

The Urdu enthusiast added that since attending the festival she has developed a better understanding of the language and its culture.

“Earlier I didn't know about a lot of things, a lot of words were strange to me. Now I carry a dictionary. My profession doesn't allow me much time but I like to learn as much as I can,” Fatima said.

The festival this year is being attended by artists, poets, writers and scholars, including Javed Akhtar, Kailash Kher, Popular Meeruthi, Papon, Pernia Qureshi, Ali brothers, Prithvi Haldea, Qutbi Brothers, Meiyang Chang, Gyanita Dwivedi, Hasan Kamal, Kavita Seth, Vidya Shah, and Noor Zaheer.

The festival will feature sessions exploring the overlooked nationalist spirit in Urdu poetry, examining Urdu's longstanding tradition of wit and satire, delving into the visual and literary art traditions that have flourished within the Urdu language.

Another visitor, Swarnabha Sarkar, shared that she has been coming to the festival for the last five years due to its ambience and fusion of cultures.

“There's poetry, food, qawwali, ghazals, Sufi singing. You can't miss out on that. The ambience it creates, the fusion of cultures, the stories, the artworks, the ghazals, Urdu is something that we all crave for,” the PhD scholar said.

“Jashn-e-Rekhta gives a platform to people like us who love culture, art and language. And it gives a platform to learn more about something which we don't read on a daily basis,” Sarkar added.

The three-day festival is also hosting performances celebrating eminent lyricists from the realm of Urdu Poetry and ghazal in its new avatar showcasing the blend of traditional Urdu music with contemporary styles.

Poet and visitor Faizan Anjum credited Rekhta for creating a platform for artists.

“Rekhta is such a gathering where people like us, who are mad about Urdu, have to make an appearance every year. I have been coming here for the last five-six years,” Anjum said.

The annual festival of Urdu language, its traditions and culture will come to an end on Sunday.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)