Adnan Sami enthralls crowd on banks of Dal Lake

Srinagar: Singer Adnan Sami on Saturday dished out a medley of his hit songs to a mesmerised audience on the shores of the Dal Lake in Srinagar.

The singer said he was blown away by the natural beauty of Kashmir.

Sami, who performed in front of a select audience at the SKICC lawns, started off with his famous number "Mai Sirf Tera Mehboob".

"Today I have come to realise that there is hell; because today I have seen heaven (Kashmir)," the singer said to thunderous applause from the crowd.

Sharing anecdotes from his life in between songs, Sami said he has a very deep connection with Jammu and Kashmir.

"Not only because my mother is from Jammu but I learned Hindustani classical from santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, who hails from Jammu as well.

"It was because of him that I could show the world that Hindustani classical can be played on piano as well," he added.

The concert was organised by the tourism department to a boost to tourist footfall in the state.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju,? several ministers of the Jammu and Kashmir government, and senior civil administration and police officials attended the concert.

Renowned conductor Zubin Mehta had performed at the Shalimar Mughal Gardens in September 2013, the last major musical event in the valley.