Christmas Aaya

High profile launch today for a multicultural, multi-faith Christmas single. The article and photo feature our very own Concillor Manjula Sood, Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths (third from left in the photo above) and Resham Singh Sandhu (second from right).

People of all faiths are coming together to launch the first Asian Christmas song, with all profits going to the victims of the Pakistan floods.

"Christmas Aaya" – Christmas is Here – is being played by radio stations across the world and is already in The Voice of Asia top ten. Record-breaking drummer King G Mall, who produced the single and appears as Father Christmas in the video, says he is aiming for a Christmas number one.

‘‘We all celebrate Christmas to some degree and I love bringing everyone together for a good cause.

"On the single we sing in both English and Punjabi and this is the first song with a video shot in four countries – UK, Holland, Canada and India."

The Curve theatre in Leicester is holding a spectacular launch party Friday December 17, hosted by Simon Ward of BBC East Midlands Today. The night features Bollywood dancers, bhangra and a fashion show with leaders of many faiths attending.

"They include Resham Singh Sandhu MBE, chair of the Sikh Welfare Cultural Society UK, Reverend Javid Iqbal, chair of the Diosesan Forum for Ethnic Minority Anglicans in Leicester, who says he is “honoured to be part of the event as it’s bringing the faith communities together and raising much needed funding to help the flood victims of Pakistan to rebuild their lives.”.

Suleman Nagdi MBE of the Federation of Muslim Organisation also pledges his support, stating that, “As a Muslim, I am extremely honoured to be part of the Christmas Aaya event as it shows how communities can work together for the mutual respect and advancement of good community relations in Leicestershire.” Also present will be councillor Manjula Sood, former Lord Mayor and chair of the Leicester Council of Faiths, Mussarat Iqbal, chair of Life Skill Project International and Pat Weller, Chief Executive of the Curve said, “We at the curve support both the local and the wider community and we are behind this fundraising event.”

The launch is supported by Curve and Pukaar News.

King G. Mall says, "It’s hardcore Bhangra based on traditional Punjabi folk music but we include a banjo and you can’t help smiling and dancing! Tourists joined in when we were filming at London Bridge and now they’re in the film, along with people from the streets of Leicester."

King G. Mall twice appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest assembled gathering of dhol players (Punjabi drummers.) Earlier this year he released "Aao Ji", the first bhangra release to feature both Asian and non-Asian artists, which received massive online attention with over two hundred and fifty thousand hits.

Artists from Canada, the UK, India, Holland and Pakistan feature in the new single, including Naomi Zaman, Sahib Sekhon, Sana Parvez Naeem John from Leicester and 12-year-old Londoner Nish.

"People say, 'What’s the crazy guy up to now?' I’m aiming to bring people of all cultures together for a good cause and to celebrate Christmas as one!"

Read the article in context on the website of Pukaar News:
http://www.pukaarnews.com/Pages/NsCaaya.html