Kolkata: The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat evokes the memories of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the last nawab of the Kingdom of Awadh who is the man behind introducing the Urdu culture in Kolkata and rich Awadhi cuisine. The great grandson of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, Shahanshah Mirza in collaboration with The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat, has thoughtfully curated a series of soiree and Awadhi cuisine on the 8th of January 2023 to celebrate the 200th birth anniversary of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.
This is the only occasion in the world where Shaam-e-Awadh is being organised in honour of Wajid Ali Shah’s 200th birth anniversary. The grandeur celebration commences with a series of live performances where guests can immerse in the diverse Urdu culture. The evening starts with a graceful Kathak performance by Nandini Sinha, an eminent Lucknowi Gharana style Kathak exponent. The elegant Kathak performance is followed by Mehfil-e-Tarannum, also known as Dastangoi, a soulful poetry performance directed by Askari Naqvi. Adding to the celebration, Atif Ali Khan, the great grandson of the doyen of Indian Classical music, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, singer of Kasur Gharana, will enchant the audiences with his nostalgic Ghazal and Hindustani classical performance.
To mark the birth anniversary celebration, Awadhi Begum Sheeba Iqbal and Chef Shafiqun along with the talented culinary team of The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat will showcase the ambrosial spread of Awadhi cuisine with dishes include non-vegetarian classics like ‘Kakori Kebab’ and ‘Mutton Nihari’, ‘Seekh kebabs’, ‘Ghutwan kabab’, ‘Yakhni Pulao’, and vegetarian classic such as ‘Ulte Pulte’, ‘Sagpaita with Ghee Chawal’ ‘Qiwami Seewai’, ‘Tali gobhi ka salaan’ to name a few. Through the skills of Chef Sheeba Iqbal and Chef Shafiqun, the food festival will offer delicacies of not just Awadhi cuisine but also of the remnants of the Awadhi food of the royals.
Commenting on the event, Mr. Subhash Sinha, General Manager of The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat said, “We are honoured to celebrate the 200th Birth Anniversary of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh with his great grandson Shahanshah Mirza. It is a privilege to host a one-of-kind Shaam-e-Awadh evening with such great fervour and gusto. Guests will get to witness an evening filled with performances by eminent artists showcasing a varied rich culture from Lucknow through Kathak, Ghazal and Awadhi delicacies. It is a pleasure and an honour to host both Chef Sheeba Iqbal and Chef Shafiqun as we continue to exhibit and collaborate with culinary masters from across the country. Our aim at The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat has always been to provide guests with the opportunity to experience unique events and cuisines. We look forward to hosting more such soulful evenings in the City of Joy.”
Commenting on the event, Mr.Shahanshah Mirza, the great grandson of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah said, ” I am very grateful to The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat, which is one of the finest five star hotels in this country, for organizing this event. This is perhaps the only occasion in the world where Shaam-e-Awadh is being organised in honour of Wajid Ali Shah’s 200th birth anniversary. It will be an evening which will be memorable and an evening which people will remember for a very long time.”
