Prayagraj: On the second day of the Dipawali Crafts Fair organized by the North Central Zone Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the presentations of folk songs, bhajans, ghazals and classical dances on the Muktakashhi stage of Shilp Haat located in the Cultural Centre premises made the cultural evening memorable. The audience applauded and encouraged the captivating performances of the artists. On the one hand, the colors of folk culture were spread from the stage in the fair, while on the other hand, the handmade products of the artisans who had come from different states also remained the center of attraction for the people.
The program was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by the chief guest Prof. Devesh Ranjan Tripathi, Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Centre Director Sudesh Sharma, Deputy Director Dr. Mukesh Upadhyay and Advisor Kalpana Sahay.
The cultural evening began with a devotional performance by Disha Sharma, a budding artist from Prayagraj. She captivated the audience with her renditions of “Baso More Nainan Mein Nandlal,” “Jai Durga Durgati Pariharini,” “Sakhi, Siyavar Ki Rangili Jhanki,” and “Diwali Aai, Light the Lamp, Remove the Darkness.”
After this, a classical dance performance was presented under the leadership of Vaishali Nath. The group included Kriti Singh, Deepti Chaudhary, Mehak Kumari, Vartika Swarnkar, Aarohi Mishra, Samridhi Srivastava and Suryansh Singh. The presentation included Shiv Vandana in praise of Nataraja, pure dance in Teentaal and finally Tarana. Anoop Banerjee accompanied on tabla and Anurag Mishra on lehre. Let us tell you that Brahmanaad competition was organized by the center, in which Disha Sharma got the first prize in singing category and Vaishali Nath got the first prize in dance category.
Singer Santosh Pandey received a lot of applause by presenting ‘Naughty Kanha Pakadhe Mora Aanchal’, ‘When the news of your arrival smells’, ‘Start love like this’ and ‘I am not ashamed of the world’ along with the collected couplets of Ramcharitmanas.
Meanwhile, Girdhar Gopal Sharma of Mathura showcased the colors of Braj’s folk singing tradition. He moved the audience with his renditions of “Rana ji, I will leave your palace and courtyard, I will sing Govind-Govind,” “I met the dark one, a unique thing happened in my dream,” “A lover came to the peacock hut in Barsana as a peacock,” and “The flute player surrounded me alone, the water went away.”
Cultural programs and participation of artisans continue to be a hallmark of the Diwali Crafts Fair. Craftsmen from various states are showcasing Indian folk and craft traditions through their traditional handicrafts, artistic objects, and samples of local crafts. The program was moderated by Sudhanshu Shukla.
