Prayagraj: The echo of folk life in the tunes of Birha, classical beauty in the dance of Kathak and a lively glimpse of tradition in Rajasthani folk dances. A similar scene was seen on Saturday at the Deepawali Shilp Mela of the North Central Zone Cultural Centre. Artists made the cultural evening memorable with their performances on the Muktakashi stage of Shilp Haat. Birha singing, Kathak dance, light music and traditional folk dances of Rajasthan introduced the audience to the diversity of Indian folk and classical arts.
Organized by the North Central Zone Cultural Center, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the third day of the fair was inaugurated by Chief Guest Prof. Raj Bihar Lal Srivastava, Department Incharge, Kashi Province, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, CMP, Prayagraj, along with Center Director Mr. Sudesh Sharma, Deputy Director Dr. Mukesh Upadhyay, and Advisor Mrs. Kalpana Sahay, by lighting a lamp. On this occasion, Center officials honored the Chief Guest by presenting him with a robe and a plant. The Chief Guest also offered his blessings.
Started with the tunes of Birha: The cultural evening began with a Birha performance by Ms. Preeti Pankhuri and her group. The presentation, adorned with the lyrics of “Satyug, Treta, Dwapar, Kaliyug…,” showcased a beautiful blend of folk language, narrative, and soulful singing. Through the traditional Birha style, the artists brought the rich heritage of folk culture to life on stage.
The expressions of Kathak captivated the mind: Following this, Ms. Sanskriti Kesarwani of Prayagraj presented a Kathak dance. Her expressive postures, rhythmic footwork, and captivating expressions brought to life the beauty of classical dance. The performance offered a captivating glimpse of the tradition and artistry of Kathak.
A glimpse of Rajasthan was seen in Bhavai, Chakri and Chari dance: S.B. Gujrawat, from Bara, Rajasthan, captivated the audience with his performances of Bhavai, Chakri, and Chari dances. These performances, adorned with traditional costumes, rhythms, and folk styles, brought Rajasthan’s rich folk dance tradition to the stage and added a splash of folk color to the cultural evening.
A performance filled with devotional and folk music: In the musical presentations, Ms. Aditi Mishra from Prayagraj presented various shades of light music. She started her singing with Saraswati Vandana “Mere Kanth Baso Maharani”. After this, the audience got to experience devotional, folk and various styles of music through her presentation of “Aaya Kar Sanware In Gallian Room Jhum”, Dadra “Bindiya Ka Rang Uda Jaye”, “Tum Utho Siya Shringar Karo, Shiv Dhanush Ram Ne Toda Hai”, Krishna Bhajan “Hey Murlidhar, Chhaliya Mohan” and Chaiti “Bolat Kaag Anganwa Ho Rama, Raghubar Aaihain”. Her presentation made the cultural evening melodious.
