RASHTRIYA SANSKRITI MAHOTSAV DAY 5
~ North Central Zone Cultural Centre Takes Center Stage~
New Delhi, November 5, 2015: RASHTRIYA SANSKRITI MAHOTSAV hosted by The Ministry of Culture, Government of India showcased performances by the North Central Zone Cultural Centre, Allahabad.
The event was attended by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Honourable Minister of State (IC) for Tourism and Culture and Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India, and Shri Shekhar Sen, Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi.
The performances started with a live performance by Smt. Malini Awasthi. A popular folk singer and student of legendary Hindustani classical singer Girija Devi, Malini Awasthi had the crowd on its feet with her popular songs in dialects like Awadhi, Bundelkhandi and Bhojpuri. Starting with a folk ‘mai ki aradhana’, she went on to perform a powerful medley of traditional songs that mothers and grandmothers have long sung for their families.
The warmth of performances went a notch higher with folk art forms starting with Gudum Baja performed by adivasis from Madhya Pradesh; Mayur Nritya inspired by nature and Lord Krishna; Terah-taali a devotional dance performed by women with Manjira tied to their feet and hands; Badhai Nritya to celebrate Ram Janam from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh; Deewari, performed by the Yadav community based on martial arts on the occasion on Diwali; Ghoomar, from Haryana through which ladies of the family express their feelings for each other; Rai, Madhya Pradesh, a Shringar Pradhan folk dance based on love between couples performed here along with Ram Sahai Pandey an 84 years old octogenarian; the performances ended with Phoolon ki Holi entitled Braj ki Holi.
The audiences were fascinated by the folk dances that they probably have never heard of or seen before! The fluid movements, energetic music and group dances stole the hearts of the gathering.
The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav features an eight day extravaganza, which takes the festive season a notch higher with its food and shopping, bringing out the very best of indigenous handicrafts and flavours.
One can indulge in dishes prepared by Traditional Master chefs featuring menus from coastal delights to rich and palatable delicacies to delicately appetizing sweets representing a wide variety of Indian cuisines.
The venue boasts of shop-till-you-drop angans with a wide array of arts and crafts like Haveli paintings from Punjab, Rogan artworks from Gujarat, Banaras silk, Kalamkari (hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile), Tanjore paintings and many more.
The eight day festival features 150 art forms, performances by more than 1500 artists; 32 forms of paintings: visual arts; 400 master craftsmen; cuisine by traditional master craftsmen & chefs.
A free entry for all, 10 am to 10 pm festival features maidani kalakar everyday with evening stage performances with folk & celebrity artists from 6p.m. to 10 p.m. at the IGNCA, 11, Mansingh Road.
This festival has been envisioned as a sneak peek into the myriad dimensions of our cultural traditions and to generate pride in being an Indian. The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav is definitely going to be an affair to remember and one that the nation will look forward to every year.