Pragaash
| Pragaash | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| Genres | Rock Pop |
| Years active | December 10, 2012 - February 29, 2013[1] |
| Associated acts | Best Performance award |
Pragash (from Sanskrit prakash, meaning 'light') was an all-girl Kashmiri rock band formed by three teenage Muslim girls of prestigious Presentation Convent High School. The band was formed in December 2012 and received controversy from Islamic scholars, who claimed that the band members allegedly broke the codes of Islam due to which the band became unexpectedly famous and people also claimed that the band became popular due to the controversies and not because of their music as the guitarists were aware of only about 4 or 5 chords. [2] The band members all received threats of death, rape, and other physical harm, as well as a fatwa from Grand Mufti, which prompted them to quit the band.[3]
History
The band made their first public appearance on December 10, 2012 when they participated in a Battle of Bands competition in Srinagar, where they received the award for "Best Performance".[4]
Death threats
Shortly after their win at the Battle of Bands, the group began to receive death and rape threats via their cell phones and Facebook profiles.[5] The Grand Mufti publicly criticized the band, stating that they were exhibiting "indecent behaviour" and that "this kind of non-serious activity can become the first step towards our destruction".[6] On February 3, 2013 he issued a fatwa against the group, stating that music was "not good for society" and that all of the "bad things happening in the Indian society are because of music".[7] Later that same month the police registered a First Information Report against the online attackers and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah ordered a probe in the matter.[5][8] In February 2013 three people were taken into custody and arrested for "promoting enmity between classes" and "criminal intimidation".[9]
The band has received a large amount of global online support.[10] The group initially received expressions of support and offers of security for the band from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah via Twitter, but he later deleted his tweets.[11]
Band Members
- Noma Nazir Bhatt, Vocals and guitar
- Farah Deeba, Drums
- Aneeqa Khalid, Bass Guitar
Popular culture
1)The band is cited in Marlon James's Man Booker Prize winning novel A Brief History of Seven Killings as "First Ray of Light˜.
2)Inspired from the female band, Abhigyan Bahuguna, a medical student made a short film 'PARIHA', the land of fairies.It was released on the 25th of December 2015.[12]
References
- ↑ "Pragaash row: Why Kashmir must fight against radicals". One India. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "Five things you need to know about Pragash, Kashmir's first all-girl band". First Post. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "After Grand Mufti's fatwa, Kashmir's all-girls band 'Pragash' calls it quits". Indian. Express. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "Abuses, threats can't silence Kashmir's only girl band". ND TV. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- 1 2 "Kashmir's only all-girl band facing online threats, abuses". Times of India. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "Kashmir girl band Pragaash gives up after threats". BBC. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "Grand Mufti issues Fatwa against Pragaash". Daily Rising Kashmir. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "Police file FIR against online attackers of Kashmir girl band". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "Front Page 3 arrested in 'Pragaash' controversy remanded to judicial custody for 5 days". Kashmir Times. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
- ↑ "Online support pours in for Pragaash". Daily Rising Kashmir. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "Pragaash: Mufti's fatwa, Omar's reversal cost Kashmir its only all-girls band". Daily Bhaskar. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFQuc5aMPWE