Amazing Sharjah

Sharjah is a modern city where people not only live peacefully, but also lead a joyous life. Here we do not only get to see clean roads and breathe clean air in a healthy atmosphere, but we also see tall and stunning towers, the fountains, the forts and the historical places that make Sharjah even more beautiful. That’s not all. Sharjah also protects its culture and showcases the heritage through different mediums.

Sharjah’s close association with marine life showcased at the just-concluded Sharjah Light Festival 2013 was quite impressive.

I realised this when I went to watch the Sharjah Light Festival shows at various places. At Al Qasba, the main venue, I was  surprised to see a huge crowd. There was hardly any place to sit.

While waiting for the event to begin, I observed it was not just the show that people were interested in. It was like a picnic spot as many people had brought pizzas, burgers and other snacks with them to enjoy. The entire atmosphere was charged.

I was curious to know what was going to be shown this year. In the beginning, the focus was on pearling and then we were shown the marine creatures, as well as boating and fishing in ancient days. But the most impressive was the last sequence when the entire Al Qasba building became a cruise ship and started floating.

When I went to watch the show on the internal façade of Al Qasba, it was even more surprising as the crowd was even bigger than outside the building. 

It was difficult to find a place to stand and watch the show from the bridge or on the sides of the canal. I had to wait for the crowd to leave the place so that I could watch the next show, which was quite awesome.

I felt fortunate to be a resident of Sharjah as people travel to faraway places to watch such amazing shows.

(Published in The Gulf Today on February 16, 2013)