Srinagar, Sept. 10 -- By Dr. S. Bashir Ahmad Veeri

On September 7, 2013, Zubin Mehta stood before the Bavarian State Orchestra in Shalimar Bagh and led Beethoven, Haydn and Tchaikovsky against the Zabarwan range while Dal Lake carried the sound.

The city outside the garden walls was closed. A strike had been called, soldiers lined the approach roads, and the audience inside sat on invitation only.

On September 7, 2026, the International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir opened four kilometres away at SKICC under the banner Rang-e-Cinema. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed Dr Farooq Abdullah, Dr Jitender Singh, several governors and a room full of filmmakers and dignitaries. The festival promised 135 films from 41 countries.

Two ev...