Tributes

The Khazana Festival 2009 was a tribute to the Memory of Madanji.
26 July 2009

The Khazana Festival 2009 was a tribute to the memory of Madanji.

Khazana is organized each year by Pankaj Udhas for the Cancer Patients Aid Association, and all proceeds go towards a most noble cause.

Held at The Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai on 25 and 26 July, the Khazana had a packed audience of Ghazal lovers and all were unanimous in their appreciation of Madanji's Ghazal compositions, which have been favorites for all these years.

The event started with the lighting of the lamp by all the leading artistes of India, including Pankaj Udhas, Talat Aziz, Anup Jalota, Bhupinder & Mitali Singh, Penaaz Masani, Rajendra Mehta, Ahmed and Mohd. Hussain and Rita Ganguly. Madanji's son, Sanjeev Kohli joined them in paying tribute.

A 10-minute film on Madanji and his Ghazals set the mood for a very emotional evening ahead. A treasure of Ghazal performances followed in which each artiste, apart from their own Ghazals, also paid tribute to Madanji by singing a song from his repertoire.

Talat Aziz paid tribute through Phir wohi shaam and Mere ashqon ka gham, while Anup Jalota sang Yun hasraton ke daag and Unko yeh shikaayat hai. Bhupinder sang his own originals Dil dhoondta hai and Hoke majboor, while Mitali sang Woh chup rahe to, and also highlighted the composer's versatility with the bouncy Jhumka gira re.

Ahmed and Mohd Hussain sang their originally sung qawalli from the movie Veer-Zaara... Aaya tere dar par deewana, while Penaz Masani sang Rasm-e-ulfat ko nibhayen

Rita Ganguly narrated anecdotes of her Ustad Begum Akhtar and Madanji's unique musical bond, punctuated with renditions of Baiyan na dharo and Aapki nazron ne samjha, while Pt. Ajay Pohankar brought alive the Barkat Ali influence through Agar mujhse mohabbat hai.

The finale had Pankaj Udhas doing a moving medley of Bhooli hui yaadon, Tumhari zulf ke saaye mein and Yun hasraton ke daag.

Each artiste was received with thunderous ovation from a rapturous crowd and made the event memorable.

A befitting tribute indeed!