Dr. Mahesh Sharma to inaugurate ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav-20…

The “Rashtriya
Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM)-2017” will be held from 7th
to 9th October, 2017  in India’s 1^st World
Heritage City i.e Ahmadabad, Gujarat. Ms. Sujata Prasad,
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Culture addressing the media
persons Ahmadabad, Gujarat today said that Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav was
conceived by the Ministry of Culture in the year 2015 and after the grand
success of the First Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav in November-2015, the
Ministry of Culture decided to organize it with an intent to showcase the rich
cultural heritage of the Country in all its rich and varied dimensions, viz
Handicrafts, Cuisine, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Documentation and Performing
Arts-Folk, Tribal, Classical and Contemporary- all in one place. So far,
this Ministry has organised 5 RSM’s i.e 2 in Delhi, 1
each in Varanasi, Bengaluru and RSM North East in all NE State
capitals. Additional Secretary informed that The Minister of
State for Culture (I/C) and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr.
Mahesh Sharma will inaugurate the 6^th edition of
Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav on 7^th October 2017 at 7.00 pm at
Sabarmati River Front Event Centre, A Block in Ahmadabad.

She further
emphasized that there is an urgent and pressing need to re-connect the
people-especially the youth- with their indigenous culture, its multi-faceted
nature, magnificence, opulence and historical importance in the context of
India as a Nation over the millennia. The Additional
Secretary informed the media that to celebrate the idea of unity in
diversity, Ministry of Culture in partnership with Ministry of tourism is
organising a Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat matrix
in Gujarat beginning October 7, 2017. The State paired with Gujarat
is Chhattisgarh. The Mahotsav will cover a profusion of art forms
from classical and folk music and dance, theatre to Literature and the visual
arts and would offer the chance to experience the best in established and
emerging virtuosity. The inscription of the historic walled city of Ahmadabad
on UNESCO’s world heritage list will also be celebrated. A handloom and
handicrafts-utsav is part of the proposed event. The gastronomic culture of
Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and several other partnering states will be
showcased through a food festival.

The Rashtriya
Sanskriti Mahotsav would showcase all these aspects of Indian Culture in
different areas and aspects. Accordingly, there will be stalls
for ‘Crafts, handloom demonstration and Sale and stalls for 10
Traditional Cuisines from different states and a book stall of
  Sahitya Akademy. 

There will be host artists giving performances such
as a special performance of Pandvani by Teejan Bai and Vedic chantsand Bhajans
by Krishna Kant Sharma. There would be other artists too like Shabnam Virmani
and Vipin Rikhi performing the Songs of Kabir and other Mystics, Dastangoi
on Kabir tobe performed by Ankit Chadha. There would be presentation of folk
dances such as ‘Kutchi Bhajan, Mer Raas,Siddhi Dhamal,Karma and
 Saila,Natua ,Rauf ,Stick/ Pong Cholum, Puja Kunitha ,Gotipua and Mayur
will be presented on magnificent main stage in the open air
stage area of the Sabarmati River
Front Event Centre,  A Block where performances by
artists of National and International stature will take place every evening
from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The opening and closing programmes will be
choreographed presentations featuring a fusion of folk, classical and
contemporary art forms in the opening ceremony.

On the side of
River front there will be a Food Court where traditional delicacies from
different regions of the country will treat the visitors to an unparalleled
culinary experience. Apart from this, the other activities have also
planned by this Ministry of Culture during the RSM as follows:

• Walled-city memorial of 19^th century
poet and social reformer Kavi Dalpatram at Lambeshwar ni Pol: ‘An oasis of
calm, a celebration of the written word’- Book exhibition and eclectic reading
of poetry and prose, and Exposition on Chhattisgarhi language and literature
organised by Sahitya Akademy on 8^thOctober 2017 .( Time:9.30 am to
6.00 PM)

• Sabarmati Ashram: An exhibition on Sabarmati
Shatabadi by National Archives of India ( Time:8.30am to 7.00 pm )

• Bhadra Fort: ‘Conserving Ahmadabad’s Historic
Monuments, an exhibition by Archaeological Survey of India  ( Time
:10.00am  to 7.00pm)

• Campaign on Swachhta:  Street
 murals as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by National Gallery  of
Modern Art (Time: 11.00 am to 5.30pm)

The Seven Zonal
Cultural centers under the Ministry of Culture have been
enjoined upon with the task of organizing the RSM in Ahemdabad as
well as taking it to following cities of the Gujarat
under the banner of the slogan “EK BHARAT SHRESHTHABHARAT”.  

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Sanjay Kumar/jk/Tourism/06-10-2017