Lucknow: A vibrant celebration of Awadhi folk heritage unfolded at the auditorium of the International Buddhist Research Institute on Sunday, as Deepanjali Sanstha organized a memorable evening of Awadhi folk songs and dances.
The event saw the presence of several distinguished guests, including Ram Lal Verma, District General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Among the special guests were Om Prakash Shukla, Block Pramukh of Mohanlalganj, as well as Vinita Tiwari and Chakraveer Singh.
The program commenced with a spiritually uplifting performance by Rinki Singh and Kiran, who presented a devotional song dedicated to the Goddess: “Tohari Sharan Hum Avani Hain Jagdambe Maiya”. This was followed by a sequence of traditional Awadhi genres, starting with a sohar (birth celebration song), and a mela (fair) song titled “Bail Gaadi Ma Hamka Bithaay Ke Piya Melwa Ghumay Da”, evoking the charm of rural festivities.
As the evening progressed, performances highlighted a variety of folk traditions including wedding songs, Chaiti, Khemta, Nakat, and Choumasa. One particularly evocative performance, “More Raja Chhatariya Chhawaawo Ki Ras Ke Boond Padi”, artistically captured the rural essence through expressive dance.
A collective dance on the farmer’s folk song “Khet Ma Jhoome Gehuwa Ke Daali Jaise Laage, Sonwa Ke Baali, Saasu Paniya Kaise Jaaun Raseene Dou Naina” brought alive the pastoral life of Awadh. The atmosphere turned lyrical and mesmerizing with the soulful rendition of a Kajri: “Kaise Khelan Jaibu Saawan Mein Kajariya, Badariya Ghir Aayi Nanadi”, leaving the audience spellbound.
The evening witnessed captivating dance choreographies by Yogita, Shriyanshi, Kanchan, Anju, Mansi, Ashwani, and Shailendra Sharma. Musical accompaniment added depth to the performances, with Priyanka Singh on dholak, Mahesh Pal on keyboard, Anadi Khare on harmonium, and Shailendra Singh Anil on side rhythm. Vocal support was also provided by Vinita and Neelam Pandey.
The event was directed by Mohan Kapoor, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Mangesh Lata, President of Deepanjali Sanstha, who expressed gratitude to all participants and guests for making the cultural evening a grand success.
