Srinagar, Jul 11: The Kashmir Music Club (KMC) and Jammu Kashmir Music Artist Federation (JKMAF) Srinagar led by their chairman, Waheed Jeelani on Friday appealed to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah to revive culture in Jammu & Kashmir and safeguard the rights of artists and creative professional.
“With deep concern and unwavering hope, we, on behalf of the entire cultural fraternity of Jammu & Kashmir, make this urgent and emotional appeal to Chief Minister Jenab Omar Abdullah and National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah, whose lifelong admiration and support for art, music, and culture are well known across the nation,” a statement issued here reads.
“For more than a decade, the cultural sector in Jammu & Kashmir has faced severe neglect. Once-vibrant institutions have withered, funding for creative initiatives has dried up, and thousands of dedicated artists, including musicians, vocalists, writers, folk performers, visual artists, technicians and filmmakers, have been left without support, recognition, or a platform to sustain their work and livelihood. These cultural professionals, who once stood as ambassadors of Kashmiri identity, peace, and spiritual heritage, are now struggling for survival,” Jeelani said.
“Art and culture are not luxuries. They are essential to the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual well-being of a society. Jammu & Kashmir, a land blessed with unmatched cultural diversity and a rich artistic legacy, from mystic Sufi traditions and soul-stirring folk music to nuanced classical performances and storytelling, is watching its treasures fade into oblivion. The disappearance of our traditional art forms, local languages, rituals, and indigenous aesthetics is not just a cultural loss, it is a civilizational crisis. Despite repeated representations, memorandums, and public pleas, our concerns have largely remained unheeded. While other sectors such as tourism, industry, and infrastructure have found place in planning and policy, culture continues to be viewed as an afterthought, receiving no comprehensive vision, dedicated budget, or administrative focus. Without revival of institutions like JK Academy of Art Culture & Languages, Jk Culture Department, All India Radio Srinagar, Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar, and a robust cultural policy inclusive of folk, Sufi, and classical arts, the very soul of Jammu & Kashmir stands at risk,” it reads.
Jeelani appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take concrete, visionary steps to rejuvenate the cultural sector, by formulating a clear cultural revival policy, reviving institutions, empowering academies and artist federations, ensuring fair representation of Jammu Kashmir artists in national and international festivals, and allocating dedicated funds for art and heritage preservation.
“We also turn to Dr. Farooq Abdullah, a towering figure who has always stood by the artist community, to once again raise his voice, lend his influence, and guide the administration in restoring the pride, dignity, and rightful space of artists and cultural professionals in our land. His presence and proactive involvement can rekindle hope and ensure that the next generation of artists is not forced to abandon their calling. This is not just an appeal, it is a call from the heart, a cry for cultural justice, and a plea for the preservation of our civilizational heritage. Let us not allow the silence of neglect to replace the songs, stories, and soul of Jammu & Kashmir,” he said.
