Lucknow: The penultimate day of the 4th Gomti Book Festival unfolded as a majestic celebration of storytelling and music, drawing an enthralled audience to the historic grounds of the University of Lucknow. The evening began with the spellbinding Dastangoi by Himanshu Bajpai and Pragya Sharma, whose evocative narration transported listeners into the timeless world of oral traditions. Narrating the tale of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, the duo used their trademark Dastangoi style and enthralled the audience with the story of the queen of Indore during the Maratha Empire who established Maheshwar as the seat of the Holkar Dynasty.
The highlight of the night came with the electrifying performance of the legendary Qawwali ensemble, Nizami Bandhu, celebrated nationwide for their iconic rendition of Kun Faaya Kun in the 2011 film Rockstar. Their soulful voices and soaring rhythms left the crowd swaying in unison, marking a truly unforgettable cultural high point of the festival.
Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri Brajesh Pathak also graced the Gomti Book Festival and launched the book ‘Rajnath Singh: Adhunik Bharat Ke Lauh Purush’ by Amitabh Kumar.
The Literature of Officials
In a unique session titled ‘File ke kaagaz se sahitya ki kalam tak’, senior administrative officers like Dr. Hariom (Principal Secretary, Vocational Education and Skill Development), Dr. Ajay Shankar Pandey (Former Commissioner, Jhansi Range), and Dr. Sudhakar Adeeb (Former Director, Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan) discussed their connection to literature.
Dr. Hariom shared how he, as an administrator, managed to take time out of his busy office schedule for writing and maintaining his active engagement in both Hindi and English literature. His travelogue on Kailash Mansarovar has garnered significant attention in the market. During the session, he enchanted the audience by reciting two of his songs. The session was coordinated by Dr. Lalit Kishore Mandora, Hindi Editor, NBT-India.
Dr. Ajay Shankar Pandey and short-story writer Dr. Sudhakar Adeeb praised that the National Book Trust’s recent programs that have led to the broader involvement of high-quality writers, congratulating the Chairman and Director of the Trust for their active effort in connecting writers with their events.
In another session “Rivers: Restoration and Resilience”, experts discussed the restoration of Lucknow’s rivers, highlighting ongoing efforts for the Kukrail River and the need to revive eight others, including the Behta. Tips on assessing river health and insights from the Namami Gange Mission and Deepika Chaturvedi’s book ‘Along the Banks of River Gomti’ were also shared.
Vedic Maths Fascinates Children
At the Children’s Corner, over 800 students from various schools of Lucknow participated in the morning sessions which began with Kahani ki Duniya Mein by Dr. Anita Bhatnagar Jain, where a fascinating story about nature rewarding correct answers with books. This was followed by Fun with Vedic Maths by Vivek Kumar, where children learned easy calculation techniques that helped them better understand mathematics.
In the third session, Choreography & Body Movement with Farman and Muskan, children explored creative dance using ribbons and balloons. The final session was a quiz by Uttar Pradesh Tourism, where winners received Exam Warrior, authored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and published by the National Book Trust, India.
Final Day of Gomti Book Festival Tomorrow
Tomorrow marks the last day of the Gomti Book Festival — so Lucknow, come and be part of the grand finale! Join the celebration of stories, culture and ideas before the curtain falls on this vibrant Mahakumbh of literature. In store for the final day are exciting quizzes and book cover designing workshops for children, thousands of books to explore and a live performance by the popular band, Parashara.
