Pre-events continue to fascinate Valley people; thrilling audiences fill venues

Painting camp on ‘The Beauty of Kashmir’ to begin at Lal Mandi Museum on June 19

SRINAGAR, JUNE 18: Exhibiting unique folk art of Kashmir’s rich cultural heritage and ethinic legacy, the local artists today mesmerised the audiences with their fascinating performances at the venues across Srinagar and Ganderbal districts during the pre-events of upcoming three day mega ‘Vitasta Cultural Festival,”.

People of all ages and genders throng the captivating events held at various venues including the city’s iconic Kong Posh Park, Zero Bridge, Zabarwan Park, Badamwari Garden and the picturesque Alusteng village in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

The folk artists, comprising both seasoned veterans and emerging talents, skillfully held audiences mesmerised with their diverse range of colourful performances, which included art forms such as Bhand Pather, Gujri, Dhambali, Bach Nagma, Rauf, and other captivating expressions of cultural heritage besides the performances of beautiful folk songs and dances and captivating folk dramas.

Notably, the upcoming three-day ‘Vitasta Cultural Festival’ is scheduled to grace the stage from June 23 to 25. This prestigious carival, which is the third and final edition of a series, is being organised by the Union Ministry of Culture, through the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala. The earlier two parts of the festival were organised in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and Pune (Maharashtra).

The pre-event programmes of this prestigious festival will continue till June 21 at around two dozen locations in Srinagar and the surrounding districts, with the aim of serving as a platform for artists representing diverse art forms of Kashmiri folk culture. These programmes would help to showcase and promote the talents of these artists, providing them with an opportunity to exhibit their skills and preserve the rich artistic heritage of Kashmiri folk culture.

The ‘Vitasta Cultural Festival’ holds a significant objective, aligning with Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s, visionary concept of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ (One India, Great India) under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative.  The prestigious festival aims to foster cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and harmony among different regions of India.

Meanwhile, the organisers said that in a range of pre-event programmes, folk artists will present their respective art forms at various locations including Sonwar, Amira Kadal, Buchwada, and Dal Gate Srinagar district and Magam village in central Kashmir’s Budgam district tomorrow (Monday).

In addition to these programmes, a painting and calligraphy camp will also be organised in Srinagar through collaboration between the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala and Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages.

The painting camp, centred on the theme ‘The Beauty of Kashmir’ will be organised at the Lal Mandi Museum. This camp is scheduled to run from June 19 to June 25, providing artists with a dedicated space to showcase the beauty of Kashmir through their artistic creations.

Simultaneously, the calligraphy camp will take place at Bemina Government College in Srinagar, starting on June 21. The calligraphy camp aims to nurture the art of calligraphy and promote the rich heritage of writing styles.