Seven-Day ‘Shaheed Utsav – Rang De Basanti’ Celebrations Witness Open Mic, Poetry, and Mushaira at Sheroes Café
Exhibition and Kathak-Based Dance Drama Organized at National College
Lucknow: The six-day celebrations of the seven-day ‘Shaheed Utsav – Rang De Basanti’ festival, organized jointly by the Department of Culture, Dastak, Udaan, and other institutions, continued with fervor. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from students across various colleges, where more than 200 students from National PG College took part in quizzes, poetry recitals, and slogan-writing competitions focused on India’s freedom struggle and the sacrifices of its martyrs.
At the National PG College, a photo quiz was conducted, highlighting books authored by freedom fighters along with their inspirational quotes. The students were introduced to famous slogans and poetry that played a pivotal role in India’s independence movement. The song “Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna” was performed as a tribute to the martyrs, reinforcing the spirit of patriotism among the youth.
The historical narratives of organizations like the Azad Hind Fauj, HSRA, and AITUC were shared with students, instilling a deep sense of pride. The inspiring stories of revolutionaries such as Kartar Singh Sarabha, Jatin Das and his hunger strike, Gaya Prasad Katiyar, Shiv Verma, Sushila Didi, and Captain Lakshmi Sahgal were narrated with great enthusiasm. A Kathak-based motivational dance drama was also staged, paying homage to the sacrifices of these freedom fighters.
Event coordinator Raja Upadhyay highlighted the significance of the live paintings exhibited during the program held on March 23, as well as a reading from Bhagat Singh’s jail diary. Winners of the quiz competition were awarded prizes. The exhibition featured prominent freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chandrashekhar Azad, Durga Bhabhi, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The event was meticulously organized by Dastak, with coordination from Alok, Aman, Yashit, Navneet, Khushi, Nikhil, Virat, Ayyub, and Vishesh.
Urvashi, a BBA student at National PG College, expressed her newfound appreciation for lesser-known revolutionaries, saying, “We often recognize only the famous names, but today, I was introduced to many unsung heroes whose pictures I saw in this exhibition. I am inspired to read more about them.” Similarly, Kushagra, a B.Com student, remarked, “Learning about the history of organizations like the Azad Hind Fauj, HSRA, and AITUC filled me with immense pride.”
Senior faculty member from the Mass Communication department, Bushra, emphasized the role of women in India’s freedom struggle, stating, “The active participation of women in the Azad Hind Fauj is a great example of women empowerment.”
Open Mic, Poetry, and Mushaira at Sheroes Café
Later in the evening, an open mic session, poetry reading, and a Mushaira were held at Sheroes Café, jointly organized by Udaan, Dastak, and the Department of Culture. The event’s organizer, Muzaffar, encouraged young poets and students to recite both their own compositions and famous poetry that was once banned during the freedom movement. Veena Rana and Shweta shared the historical significance of these compositions.
The highlight of the evening was the dramatic performance of “Dastaan Shaheedon Ki – Dastangoi.” A 45-minute narrative prepared by Arshana, Upasana, Ravi, Dua, Daniya, and Safeena transported the audience to the revolutionary era, recounting poignant tales of Bhagat Singh’s Assembly bomb incident, court trials, and imprisonment. The saga also included the heroic accounts of Mangal Pandey and Bahadur Shah Zafar during the 1857 revolt.
Deputy Commissioner of GST, Sunil, along with V.K. Singh and M.A. Khan, distributed mementos to the participants of the open mic, Mushaira, and poetry recitation, bringing the day’s inspiring events to a close.
