The otherwise tranquil ambience of Kalagram reverberated in the splendor of traditional folk music as the twoday ‘Folk music, tribal dance and food’ festival organised by North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) under the ministry of culture of the government of India opened here on Saturday.
A large crowd of over 4,000 visitors revelled in folk songs sung by popular Punjabi singer Durga Rangila, martial arts, regional folk dances by Nachaars and Bazigars who are virtually on the verge of extinction, besides sumptuous food items during the the festival.
Inaugurating the festival, RS Gill, director, NZCC, stressed on the need to preserve and propagate our rich cultural heritage.
Recently, NZCC organised a month-long art workshop in which 200 students from government and public schools along with slum children, were imparted training in drama, dance, art and craft under the guidance of Sunita Nain and Balbir Chand. Child prodigies showcased skills in dances like the Marathi Konkani, the Gujarati Garba, Haryanvi Jhoomer and Rajasthani Kalbelia, besides Punjabi folk dances.
The kite flying competition in which experts from Gujarat participated, martial arts Gatka skills by Baba Deep Singh Akademi, SAS Nagar, Sammi dances by Promila Mann from Sangrur, a play by Yogesh Arora and Iqattar Singh kept the large audience in good humour.
{{/usCountry}}The kite flying competition in which experts from Gujarat participated, martial arts Gatka skills by Baba Deep Singh Akademi, SAS Nagar, Sammi dances by Promila Mann from Sangrur, a play by Yogesh Arora and Iqattar Singh kept the large audience in good humour.
{{/usCountry}}However folk songs by Sukhi Khan and Durga Rangila remained the main attraction. Rangila opened with songs on the consequences of drug addiction like ‘Pudi tambakhu di’ before resorting to Sufiana kalams of Sufi saints and folk songs.
Programme executive Yashwinder Sharma said in addition to today’s events, a turban tying competition would be held today.