Famous Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans today said that he was bowled over by the Kashmiri hospitality.
The singer visited the valley and gave his debut performance there.
"This land is so pious, what a beautiful land of the saints like Dastgeer Sahib, Makhdoom Sahib, Sheikh Noor-ud-din, Lal Ded and other saints and the land of Habba Khatoon, this is the reason why people from the Valley are so warm and vibrant," Hans said.
"It was my first ever visit to Kashmir yesterday and my maiden performance there. Honestly speaking, I had fear in my mind about that place as one gets to read so much through the media. However, I must now admit that it is such a beautiful place and the myths and misconceptions about that place become clear once you visit and meet people there," Hans, the popular Sufi singer, told PTI.
The 'Sili Sili Hawa' singer performed in Srinagar last night as a part of the ongoing nine-day long Summer Festival.
"This time I made up my mind to visit Kashmir after an invitation from Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Tourism Ghulam Ahmad Mir. Other artistes from the Valley also persuaded me to perform there," he said.
Hans said he started with a song to pay tribute to Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and ended with his another number 'Heer'.
"I am feeling good. All my life I have been singing and have travelled around the world, but more than the audiences it was a soul-touching experience for me performing in the lap of nature, with such unparallelled beauty," he said.
Hans also heaped praise on the talent in the valley.
"Kashmir is known for its rich music. The talent is abundant, but it needs to be rightly channelised and given some exposure. Events like the Summer Festival can work wonders in that direction," he said.
Hans also said that this time he had a short visit to Kashmir and got time to enjoy only a Shikara ride, saw a houseboat, but in future he would like to spend more time in the Valley.
