Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh dedicated his ‘Dil-Luminati’ concert in Chandigarh on Saturday to the youngest world chess champion 18-year-old Grandmaster Dommaraju Gukesh. Gukesh became the youngest world champion in history Thursday, defeating China’s Ding Liren to claim the FIDE Chess World Championship title.
Praising Gukesh in his concert, Dosanjh said, “I dedicate the show to Gukesh because he (Gukesh) had thought of becoming a world champion and he became.” After Viswanathan Anand, Gukesh became the second Indian to clinch the title.
The atmosphere inside the venue was electrifying as Diljit mesmerised the audience with his catchy numbers. However, outside the venue, those fans who could not get tickets created an atmosphere full of fun and frolic, dancing to the tunes of Diljit’s numbers heard outside. A few, however, complained of not being allowed to enter the venue despite having tickets.
Earlier in the evening, all roads in Chandigarh converged on the Exhibition Ground in Sector 34, the venue of singer Dosanjh’s concert.
Thousands of people — men and women, old and young, girls and boys — dressed for the occasion, some in Bhangra attire, were curiously waiting in queues to enter the venue as the entry to the concert began at 3 pm. Roads adjoining the Parade Ground in Sector 34 witnessed a huge crowd heading towards the venue gates, crossing barricading raised by the Chandigarh Police.
Apart from locals from the Tricity, a large number of people from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and some from abroad, such as Dubai, Australia and the US, thronged the ground to be part of the mesmerising night with Dosanjh.
Delhi residents Jaspreet Kaur and Aas Kau and their children were dressed in Diljit’s Punjabi-style kurta Chandra. Several other visitors were in t-shirts and hoodies with Diljit’s pictures on them.
“We have come for the concert from Delhi. As soon we got tickets to Diljit’s Chandigarh show, we got kurta chadra stitched for our children in just two days. Kurta chadra is the dress for the event,” Jaspreet said. “We had attended Diljit’s show in Delhi, too,” she added.
Prabhliv Singh, 15, accompanying Jaspreet, said, “We have practised dance steps for Diljit’s songs. I know all Diljit’s songs but want to hear GOAT and Lover.”
Another fan at the show, Sukhman Kaur from Delhi said that she missed Diljit’s Delhi show, but managed to get tickets for the Chandigarh show. She was accompanied by her friends Manya and Priyanshu.
Harleen Kaur, who flew down from Dubai for the event, said, “I could not get tickets for Diljit’s Dubai concert in November, so I bought tickets for the Chandigarh show.”
Deepak Singh from the US said, “I live in California. While coming to Chandigarh, I booked tickets for Diljit’s show. Diljit’s show venue in the US was far from where I live, so I am lucky to get tickets for his Chandigarh concert, which is not far from my home in Mohali.”
While many who had tickets booked moved to the entry gates, several others were seen standing outside the venue hoping to get a ticket.
A few fans said they were duped on the pretext of tickets.
Sameep Singh, 22, from Mohali, said, “I have paid Rs 50,000 for two Fan-Pit tickets, but the man is not responding to my calls.”
Arshdeep Singh, 23, from Amritsar, who has been staying in Chandigarh for the last two days, said, “As I couldn’t get a ticket online, I tried to buy it from someone outside the venue, but it was too expensive.”
“People are selling tickets here outside the venue. All tickets, Fan-Pit, Gold and Silver are available at very high rates. They bought tickets online and are selling in black. I was planning to buy one ticket, but it is being sold for Rs 20,000,” Arshdeep said.
“With no option left, I will hear Diljit’s songs outside the venue,” said Arshdeep.
Not just Arshdeep, but hundreds of Diljit’s fans without tickets had reached outside the venue. However, police personnel could be seen shooing people without tickets away from the venue.
Nearly 2,000 policemen were deployed in and around the venue to check tickets at the entry gates.
A police officer on duty said their duty at the venue began at 12 afternoon and they would stand guard till the crowd left.
Besides, Chandigarh SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, SP (City) and DSPs were keeping a tight vigil around the venue.
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