‘Songs in Plague’: Covid-19: JK’s Cultural Academy to rope in artists for raising Coronavirus awareness through songs

SRINAGAR, MARCH 30: Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) today released a song to generate awareness among masses on the deadly virus.
The song is written by poet, Muzafar Hussain Dilber and sung by noted Sikara fame singer, Munir Ahmad Mir.
The first song, ‘Traw Nerun Te Pherun Watan Baya’ on deadly virus covers the wide-range aspects of genesis of deadly coronavirus and the havoc created by it across the globe.
On releasing the song, the Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL), Muneer-Ul-Islam said that artists across the globe have been encouraging people to combat coronavirus though various mediums of art. He said society as a whole have to play their roles in their respective areas and see how one must respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
He said that as the coronavirus disease continues to evolve, in Jammu and Kashmir is taking a proactive approach to help ensure the safety of the people. He said that there is a greater need to generate awareness among people, locally in their own language and melody—which will help us achieve the goal of fighting this deadly virus. He said besides this government was closely monitoring the situation and provide updates as they become available.
The Secretary said that JKAACL was also aiming to get the ‘songs in plague’ written and composed in other languages too. “We will be soon releasing a song on coronavirus awareness in dogri language,” he said.
Music composer and noted Singer, Munir Ahmad Mir, who also works at in the Cultural Wing of Department of Information and Public Relations said that that due to the lockdown, every activity is shut and people back home need some entertainment and infotainment.
“We as artists wanted raise coronavirus awareness through songs and JKAACL is always there to handhold us,” he said. “In these times of crisis too, JKAACL honored the artists and made us to do our bit to make some difference on the ground,” he added.
Another music composer, Prof Muzafar Bhat said that he along with his friends is running an online platform, namely, Kashur Studio. He said that ever since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, they have been working on the tracks in their respective homes and sharing them with artists. “We have released awareness songs. We will be soon releasing more songs to general public,” he said.
Prof Bhat said that music is often called the universal language. Artists have to finding that, when trying to spread lifesaving information about the coronavirus pandemic, it helps to have a catchy beat.
“Musicians will be recording songs about social distancing, spotting symptoms and, of course, washing hands. It's all part of an effort to get vital information about disease prevention to people who might not get it otherwise,” Bhat said.

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