Lucknow: The Uttarakhand Mahotsav inchied closer to its grand conclusion, with a surge in the number of visitors making the festival livelier by the day. This unique celebration, showcasing the vibrant cultural heritage of Uttarakhand and beyond, offers a delightful mix of shopping, food, and captivating cultural programs. The festival emphasizes the preservation and promotion of traditional arts, music, and dance, while serving as an entertainment hub for all age groups.
Inaugural Ceremony of the Evening Program
Today’s program was inaugurated by a distinguished panel of guests, including:
- Chief Guest: Anil Kumar, General Manager Network-1, State Bank of India, Head Office Lucknow.
- Special Guests:
- Dheeraj Kumar, Deputy General Manager, Administrative Office, SBI Lucknow.
- Vipin Singh, Assistant General Manager, SBI Region I-Lucknow.
- Ravi Verma, Assistant General Manager, Local Head Office, SBI.
- Gopal Singh Bhandari, Retired Chief Manager, SBI and Advisor, Uttarakhand Maha Parishad.
- Dr. Shobhit Kumar Nahar, Director, UP Sangeet Natak Academy Lucknow.
- Ashish Kumar Srivastava, General Manager, Parag Dairy Milk Federation Ayodhya.
- N.S. Rao, Regional Executive Director (North), NTPC Lucknow.
The program began with a ceremonial lamp lighting, followed by the felicitation of the guests with badges, floral bouquets, garbs, and mementos. The evening’s program was dedicated to the State Bank of India, with Anil Kumar extending his congratulations to the Uttarakhand Maha Parishad for their efforts and promising future support.
Highlights of the Cultural Performances
The cultural extravaganza featured a diverse range of performances, keeping the audience enthralled throughout the evening:
- Dance Performances:
- The Chholiya group from Almora showcased an enchanting traditional dance in vibrant attire, capturing the essence of Uttarakhand’s cultural heritage.
- Jhoda Competition: Seven teams dazzled the audience with their traditional costumes and soulful performances, with notable teams led by Renu Kandpal (Kumaonchalnagar), Pinky Nautiyal (Neelmatha), and Haritima Pant (Sangeet Sanskriti Foundation).
- Dance Uttarakhand Dance Season-3: Three teams – Arts and Cultural Group (Hema Bisht), Kutumb Group Mayapuri (Rashmi Rawat), and Nayi Dishayen Nainital (Kishan Lal) – performed energetically to reach the finals.
- Naachega Bharat: Two teams, Jupiter Academy (Sunita Bhatnagar) and Nritya Dance Academy (Reena Srivastava), delivered impressive Bollywood dance sequences.
- Folk Dance and Music:
- The team supported by the Ministry of Culture and the North Central Zone Cultural Center, Prayagraj, delivered mesmerizing performances.
- Indu Bhatt Mamagai’s team from Hansa Nritya Natya Kala Vikas Society, Dehradun, presented Uttarakhand’s famous Ghasiyari, Chhapeli, and Jaunsari folk dances, drawing widespread applause.
- A devotional medley, including Shri Ram Chandra Kripalu Bhajman and the song Ithlati Balkhati, added spiritual depth to the evening.
Competitions and Awards
Several competitions were held earlier in the day, fostering creativity and talent among participants:
- Essay Competition: Winner – Mohammad Naseem Khan.
- Drawing Competition:
- First: Ojasvi.
- Second: Shawni Srivastava.
- Third: Pragya Kandpal.
- Solo Dance:
- First: Manisha Mittal.
- Second: Akshita Arya.
- Third: Vednshi.
- Group Dance:
- First: Radhika, Divyank, Pihu Group.
- Second: Diya Bansal, Ishani, Shawni Group.
- Third: Aryan, Atya Group.
The competitions were organized under the guidance of the Women’s Cell led by Pushpa Vaishnav, along with Rajeshwari Rawat, Sunita Kanwal, Kalpana Upreti, and Lakshmi Joshi.
Program Coordination and Administration
The festival’s success is a result of the tireless efforts of the Uttarakhand Maha Parishad team, including:
- Convenor: Diwan Singh Adhikari.
- Team Members: Dr. C.M. Nautiyal, Sanjay Kala, Mangal Singh Rawat, Mahesh Chandra Singh Rautela, and others.
Media coordination was managed by Rajendra Singh Kanwal, while the program was anchored by Poonam Kanwal, Haritima Pant, Surendra Rajeshwari, and Sundarpal Singh Bisht.
Upcoming Attractions
The festival’s penultimate day promises a series of enthralling events:
- Afternoon: Solo and couple dance competitions (filmy and non-filmy) for participants aged above 5 years.
- Evening:
- Traditional Chholiya dance.
- Performances by Aim Dance Group and Smart Dance Academy.
- Folk songs and dances from Uttarakhand.
- Final rounds of Jhoda competition, Naachega Bharat, and Dance Uttarakhand Dance.
The festival continues to celebrate Uttarakhand’s rich heritage while bringing together communities for an unforgettable cultural experience.
