If music be the food of love, play on

It was a privilege for me to attend the Dhaka International Folk Festival, popularly known as Folk Fest, this year. I only made up my mind to attend on the last night of the festival. Following three layers of security, I was able to get in to enjoy the fascinating performance of the folk band Nakshikatha. After that, it was Arnob with some of his popular songs. Last but not least was one of the best attractions of the Folk Fest, Shafqat Amanat Ali whose performance was enthralling, making the audience sing and dance with him. His rhythm of music left me transfixed. Such is the appeal of music and such universal is the language of music! It will not be wrong if I conclude that music has no border, it knows no nationality, no hatred and it is beyond any sort of politics. The quotation of Shakespeare from Twelfth Night "If music be the food of love, play on" reverberates when I think of the impression the Folk Fest has left on me.

Mithun Kumar Koch

University of Dhaka