Ghulam Ali hails CM Mamata Banerjee as a form of Saraswati

Art won over politics in Kolkata on Tuesday night when Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali performed at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. The singer hailed West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee as a form of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom and music. “I am grateful to her. She has done us a favour in the form of Saraswati,” Ghulam Ali said with a smile.

The chief minister reinforced her views on universal brotherhood and requested the 75-year-old singer to visit the city again. She welcomed him with a shawl and a scarf. Banerjee was seen absorbed in the music with closed eyes as Ali entranced the audience with his expertise in vibrations.

Ghulam Ali,  who has over



the years enthralled millions across the globe with his baritone voice, on Tuesday expressed gratitude and elation as he performed to a packed audience in the eastern metropolis, three months after cancellation of his concert in Mumbai. “I am very happy today. I have been coming to Kolkata for 30 to 35 years. But this time it feels like I have come back after 50 years. I was so sad and today my sadness ends,” he said.

Spectators, which included the creme de la creme of Bengal, seemed to be overwhelmed with a strong dose of nostalgia, when Ali began Chupke Chupke. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who recently roped in Ali to sing for his play titled Milne Do, was also in attendance.