Lucknow: Repertwahr Festival Season 13 drew to a resounding close on Sunday at Janeshwar Mishra Park, as the city gathered for one final, luminous celebration of poetry, music, theatre, laughter, and community under the winter sky. Day 4 unfolded as a seamless passage between nostalgia and hope, scripting a memorable closing chapter to the four-day cultural extravaganza.
The concluding day brought together diverse artistic expressions, turning the park into a vibrant cultural corridor where literature, stand-up comedy, live music, gourmet flavours, and handcrafted art coexisted in effortless harmony. From reflective silences to roaring sing-alongs, the festival’s final moments captured the spirit of collective celebration that defined Season 13.
At the SHABD Literature Stage, legendary Urdu poet Waseem Barelvi transformed the vast open arena into an intimate mehfil. His nazms and ghazals, steeped in tenderness and ruhaniyat, traced themes of love, loss, and resilience with a disarming simplicity that held the audience in rapt attention. The literary mood gently transitioned into music as acclaimed singer-songwriter Ankur Tewari took the stage, weaving warm, guitar-led folk-pop narratives. Songs such as “Sabse Peeche Hum Khade,” “Jeene Mein Aaye Maza,” and “Dil Beparvah” invited quiet humming, gentle swaying, and shared remembrance.
Theatre lovers were drawn to RANG Theatre, where “Ambaa (A)”, directed by Atul Kumar and inspired by Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, unfolded as a sharp, satirical commentary on war and patriarchy. The play depicted women, led by Amba, uniting in an audacious act of resistance by withholding conjugal intimacy to protest senseless conflict. With wit and emotional depth, the production highlighted women’s solidarity, willpower, and often-overlooked agency in shaping a more compassionate world.
Laughter echoed across the MAHOL Comedy Arena as Gurleen Pannu delivered a fearless stand-up set, blending personal anecdotes with sharply observed everyday absurdities. Her relatable humour turned the final comedy slot into a cathartic space of shared joy. As evening deepened, the TAAL Silent Disco came alive under glowing headphones, with DJ Dr. Sangria spinning Afro-infused melodic techno that kept crowds dancing beneath the trees.
The festival reached its peak at the MAHOL Music Arena, where iconic Hindi rock band Euphoria electrified the stage. With guitars blazing and voices rising in unison to classics like “Maaeri,” “Dhoom Pichak Dhoom,” and “Mehfuz,” the band closed Season 13 not with a sense of farewell, but with a powerful, nostalgic sing-along. As audiences streamed out into the night, Lucknow carried home the afterglow of four unforgettable days of art, expression, and shared celebration.
