On Sunday, August 21, Abu Dhabi will host the day-long “Cultural Carwaan” Urdu literary and cultural event.
The festival hopes to bring together Urdu enthusiasts and looks forward to commemorating the UAE’s Urdu-speaking community’s culture. The event, which takes place at the Armed Forces Officers Club, gives up-and-coming artists a stage where they can interact with famous poets, authors, and musicians.
The events will include storytelling, a Mushaira poetry competition, musical performances, and an open literary discussion on the Urdu language’s past, present, and future. An awards ceremony to support and promote local Urdu culture will wrap up the festival.
The event will feature performances by renowned Sufi vocalists Moeed Hashmi and Tabsira Suhrawardi (Tabu). A funny look at the life of a radio DJ behind the scenes will be presented by the well-known artist Gaggan Mudgal, who lives and works in Dubai. Scholars Yaqoob Tassavur and Abbas Tabish, as well as poets Hamida Shaheen, Ameer Imam, and Dr. Asim Wasti, have also confirmed their attendance. Dr. Sabahat Asim Wasti, a well-known rehabilitation specialist in the UAE, and Syed Sarosh Asif, a senior financial manager located in Abu Dhabi, will serve as the festival’s organisers.
While the Urdu community in the UAE has traditionally put on its own events, Cultural Carwaan will present to its audience a variety of Urdu literary genres, including play, panel discussions, storytelling, poetry, and music, all in one day and under one roof. Additionally, we are excited to share plans for an annual festival in Abu Dhabi to preserve the spirit of the local language, continued Asif, an international poet who has lived in the UAE for 18 years.
The goal, according to Ehtesham Shahid, a performer in the festival’s story-telling portion, is to make art and culture a cathartic and relaxing experience for busy professionals.
The sketch comedy “Radio Dekho,” which will be presented by Gaggan Mudgal, has had multiple successful performances in Dubai but has never been seen before in Abu Dhabi.
