HINDARA (A Music Conservatory in Peshawar)

Abstract

Growing up in the City of Flowers, we saw more bombs than festivities. A city that was once abuzz with stories and tang takor could only hear cries and wails. Even under such circumstances, performance arts (music) flourished where it found the space too. Many artists grew in such times and have found a place for themselves in the industry, but they did not find it safe to practice and perform here. The situation worsened and they were either forced to stop making music or move to other cities. The absence of any formal space in Peshawar for musicians and other creative individuals to practice their art form and the absence of any formal training institutions for Pashto folk music or the likes of it makes such a space a necessity. For this reason, I am to provide a space for regional musicians to create, preserve and teach music via my project. It is aimed towards the people of this city, whether they want to create or experience an art form that is too resilient to die out. The facility will cater to the older generation of musicians who have been forced to stop performing and also to the newer generation, the ones struggling to find a space to practice and learn. The building will have spaces for visitors to explore and understand different forms of music and how pashto music has been influenced by the change in time and socio-political environment of the region. The site chosen is linked with the under-development heritage trail project in Peshawar, this will make it a place that attracts tourists as well as the local population of the region.