Zubin Mehta concert on amid shutdown call, curbs and wedding cancellations

The stage is set for renowned conductor Zubin Mehta’s concert in Srinagar on Saturday, amid a shutdown call by separatists and a state government advisory imposing travel restrictions around the event venue, Shalimar Bagh.

The stage is set for renowned conductor Zubin Mehta’s concert in Srinagar on Saturday, amid a shutdown call by separatists and a state government advisory imposing travel restrictions around the event venue, Shalimar Bagh.

This, apparently, has led to cancellation of scheduled wedding celebrations by people living near the event venue.

Shalimar resident, advocate Liyaqat Mir, has deferred his younger brother’s wedding by two days.

"How will anyone make it to our place?" Mir said on Friday, citing the three-tier security apparatus put in place by the Jammu and Kashmir government to ensure the safety of around 1,500 guests expected for the concert.

Shalimar Bagh was closed for visitors two days ago and the government has decided to keep two key roads to the venue free of traffic from 1pm.

Mehta declined to be pulled into the political overtones around his concert scheduled at 5pm.

"I didn't choose Kashmir, it chose me," he said in Delhi after receiving the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony.