A Mesmerizing Performance at IMAGH’s Ghazals Evening

By Rahat Sultana

HOUSTON: Never one to flinch at the prospect of holding a mushaira to brighten up the spirits, the Indian
Muslim Assoc. of Greater Houston started the New Year off with an evening of ghazals on Saturday, February 3 at the Elite restaurant on Hwy 6 South. The evening was attended by a full house of ghazal lovers who sat at round
tables, where dinner was served after the performance.

The beautiful ghazals were performed by Ghazal Maestro and longtime Houstonian Shekhar Pathak, accompanied by his friend and tabla player Amit Bhagwat. Shekhar possesses a unique ability to convey the intricate nuances of Urdu poetry through his vocal expressions, making each performance a mesmerizing experience. His rendition of songs by the King of Ghazals, Jagjit Singh, was unbelievably smooth, melodic, and lilting to the core resulting in a rich tapestry of style and sound. Shekhar and Amit kept the audience engaged, entertained, and captivated. The added classical songs by Shekhar left the listeners wanting more! Amitdazzled everyone with the rhythm and beat of the tabla along with the technical skills of the patterns and combinations!

Among the evening’s assembled concertgoers were some of IMAGH’s esteemed members and loyal supporters—Col. and Mrs. Raj Bhalla, Mr. and Mrs. Musa Dakri, Mr. and Mrs. Abhizer Shipchandler, Dr. and Mrs. Jaseem Pasha,
Past President Latafath Husain and many old and new friends.

Taral Patel, a candidate for Ft. Bend County Commissioner Precinct 3, attended the event and spoke to the elite gathering. He is a dedicated advocate and longtime public servant. Patel spoke about the important issues he is fighting for like—housing and jobs in Fort Bend County.

Arrangements for yet another fine event were thanks to IMAGH event planners President Tasnim Vadva, Club 65 President Rahat Sultana and Treasurer Neem Vehvaria who never flinch in organizing these bonding events.