An ode to Wajid Ali Shah, the misunderstood Lakhnawi nawab

Lucknowites gathered for the 8th Wajid Ali Shah Festival, hosted by the Rumi Foundation. Curated by filmmaker Muzaffar Ali and his wife Meera, the evening began with a kathak presentation titled Dil-E-Nazuk, performed by Shivani Verma. The highlight of the evening was the Dastangoi performance, Dastaan-e-Wajid Ali Shah, performed by storytellers Himanshu Bajpai and Dr Pragya Sharma, offering a rare glimpse into Wajid Ali Shah’s life and his profound impact on the art and culture of the city. The duo’s narrative transported the audience to the era of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, showcasing how his love for music, art, literature and history shaped Awadh’s cultural heritage.Muzaffar Ali remarked, “There is a lot more to Wajid Ali Shah than just being a nawab and through the festival we wanted to celebrate and educate people about the other beautiful side of his life.” Zarine Viccajee, the fifth-generation descendant of Lucknow’s first Parsi family expressed her surprise, and stated, “I was amazed to learn about this different aspect of Wajid Ali Shah’s story, which contrasts with the commonly held narrative.”The evening concluded with attendees leaving with a deeper appreciation of the Nawab’s lasting influence on Lucknow’s rich cultural and artistic legacy.— Amina Ashraf