As the Covid-19 pandemic has imposed restrictions on all types of activities including social and cultural, the music industry has not been an exception to it. Finding a way to tide over the restrictions following the doctrine of the Show Must Go On. The Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA) and the Parents Association Thalassemic Unit Trust (PATUT) present their annual fundraiser Khazana – a Festival of Ghazals celebrating its 20th year in a unique way. Union Bank of India presents Khazana, a Festival of Ghazals celebrating a milestone in it’s 20th year in aid of CPAA and PATUT. Ghazal aficionados will experience the rich and vibrant performances Virtually of India’s top performers on 22nd October (Friday) and 23rd October (Saturday) 2021 at 7.30PM onwards on Hungama and Pankaj Udhas youtube and facebook channel.
This 20th year, Khazana will feature a multitude of talents Artist including Anup Jalota, Talat Aziz, Kavita Seth , Rekha Bhardwaj, Osman Mir, Sudeep Banerjee, Sanjeevani Bhelande young talent Jazim Sharma and Meenal Jain and a special act by Priyanka Barve featuring Sarang Kulkarni for raising funds for The Cancer and Thalassemic Patients. Ghazal Maestro Talat Aziz is Introducing Young Sneha Astunkar and Archana Kamath Hegdekar in Khazana Ghazal festival. The program will also have Khazana Artist Aloud Talent Hunt Winners – Bhavik Rathod from (Pune) and Priyanka Savarkar Shinde from (Jabalpur) and the everlasting Ghazal Maestro Shri Pankaj Udhas.
‘Khazana – a Festival of Ghazals’ is a concept over twenty years old, which began as a platform for Ghazal artists to showcase their talent to an audience that appreciates their musical talent. It is an unique phenomenon of celebration of ghazals to raise funds for thalassemic children and cancer patients and it’s unbelievable how this has worked over a period of time. The concert will be presented online by our digital platform partner Hungama. All proceeds in terms of donations will go to the charities to help the treatment of thalassemic children and cancer patients . Since the live show was not possible owing to the lockdown restrictions, it will be presented before the connoisseurs of music online. This is not a ticketed event and can be watched by all viewers across the world. We have tied up with Ketto to facilitate viewers to donate online to the charity directly.
What is interesting is that this concert will see the young talent from Khazana ArtistAloud Talent Hunt performing with the veterans. The Fourth edition of the ‘Khazana ArtistAloud Talent Hunt’ – India’s first and only talent hunt for ghazal singers. The contest saw tremendous participation from 75 cities across India. From Mumbai to Pratapgarh, Delhi to Vidisha and Bengaluru to Sitamarhi, the judges saw immense talent in small and big cities alike. The participants were judged by an esteemed jury consisting of Pankaj Udhas, Rekha Bhardwaj, Anup Jalota and Sudeep Banerjee which was spread across 2 rounds. The 2 winners will get an opportunity to now perform at the eagerly awaited 20th Khazana Ghazal festival 2021.
Khazana in its 20th year to pay their humble tribute to a legend Late Pt. Shri K. Mahavir ji who belongs to the Jaipur gharana. He was known for his outstanding style of compositions and singing, and has composed several ghazals and songs which are unmatched in the current era. He has trained multiple established singers who are big names in the music industry themselves. At Khazana we are celebrating 50 years of the iconic ghazal “Ankh Se Ankh Milata Hai Koi” sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
As virtual communication has become the new normal amid the Covid lockdown, The Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA) and The Parent’s Association Thalassemic Unit Trust (PATUT), which is working to raise funds for treatment on children suffering from Cancer and Thalassemia has decided to organise its annual fundraiser online this year says Padmashree Pankaj Udhas (Eminent Ghazal Singer and President of the Parents Association Thalassemic Unit Trust (PATUT). “I take this opportunity to thank all the artists, sponsors and the audience, for their full- hearted support from the bottom of my heart. I hope and am also confident that this 20th year also the show will prove to be a resounding success as in the past,” said Ghazal Maestro Padmashree Pankaj Udhas.
He added, “Every year 10,000 children with Thalassaemia Major are born in India, which constitutes 10 per cent of the total number in the world and one out of every eight carriers of Thalassaemia worldwide lives in India. PATUT, headed by Padma Shri Pankaj Udhas as its President, provides end to end solution on Thalassaemia, including Awareness, Detection, Prevention, Test for matching of Bone Marrow of Donor and Donee, sponsoring Bone Marrow Transplant of Thalassaemia Major Children under ten years age and Counselling. For the last five years, PATUT has concentrated on Bone Marrow Transplants (BMT) for Children up to age of 10 years, which is the only remedy available for Thalassaemia Major, Sickle Cell Anaemia and A Plastic Anaemia Patients.”
Cancer Patients Aid Association is a non-profit organisation that aims to support cancer patients and care-givers to face their illness with the hope of living their lives to the fullest and providing them with means to reclaim their identities and dignity of life. 52 years ago, Y. KSapru, Founder Chairman, CPAA recognised and developed the philosophy of the ‘Total Management of Cancer’ which is recognised world over today. CPAA works side-by-side with the medical fraternity, focusing on activities encompassing awareness, early detection, support for treatment, guidance and counselling, rehabilitation, research studies and advocacy.
Sapru (Founder Chairman CPAA) said, “Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer did not stop at all and nor did CPAA’s aid and support to cancer patients. With the help of online networking and technology, we were able to reach out and assist 1,444 cancer patients with medicines amounting to Rs. 1.24 crores. We conducted several virtual entertainment programs for cancer patients, especially those afflicted with COVID-19. We hope the wonderful virtual audience of Khazana will continue to support our commitment to help cancer patients by donating generously,”
Ghazal Maestro Padmashree Pankaj Udhas said, “Mein akela hee chala tha janeve manzil magar log sath aate gaye aur kaarva banta gaya. This couplet is the story of khazana, Started in 2001 with my dear friends and Ghazal Singers Anup jalota and Talat Aziz, Today we are in 20th Year of khazana. When we started we didn’t know which direction we will go, we didn’t know how we will succeed but as I said earlier that as we stated khazana people came and joined us, artist, musicians, sponsors joined us, ek bada karvha ban gaya. Today I can say khazana is not only the Ghazal festival but it’s a movement in the field of singing. The other major reason is why khazana is very close to us is that through khazana we are raising funds for The Cancer Patients and Thalassemic children. We have been able to help so many children with the help of fund raised during khazana or by khazana festival. I take this opportunity to thank all the artist, who have participated in khazana from last 20 years without charging any fees. I want to thank all musicians who have participated in khazana, all our sponsors who have been more then kind support us. I want to specially thank Union bank of India which has been with us from the first year till this year and I look forward to having their association forever. We are thankful to Rakshanda Khan who was the compere for the first khazana and who was with us even after 20 years and today and she is the compere for the Khazana 21.”
He added, “As I said earlier khazana Ghazal festival is a movement and I look forward to celebrate twenty five years of Khazana with all your support and I want to make that the biggest Ghazal festival ever in the history of Ghazal singing.”
- Online Khazana Ghazal Festival to feature Ghazal Maestro Pankaj Udhas, Anup Jalota, Talat Aziz, Kavita Seth , Rekha Bhardwaj, Osman Mir, Sudeep Banerjee, Sanjeevani Bhelande, young talent Jazim Sharma and Meenal Jain along with a special act by Priyanka Barve featuring Sarang Kulkarni to raise funds for The Cancer and Thalassemic Patients
- The Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA) and Parent’s Association Thalassemic Unit Trust (PATUT) appeals to music connoisseurs to donate generously for the noble cause
- Free Musical concert can be watched by all viewers across the world on Hungama
