Folk, tribal dances regale at Chandigarh National Crafts Mela

Harbhajan Mann will perform at the Chandigarh National Crafts Mela on Saturday; the 14-day event will conclude on Sunday

As the 14th edition of the ongoing Chandigarh National Crafts Mela inches to a close, visitors were treated to folk and tribal dances of various regions on Friday.

Artistes performing Punjabi folk dance luddi during the Chandigarh National Crafts Mela at Kalagram in Chandigarh on Friday. The 14-day event will conclude on Sunday. (Sant Arora/HT)

The morning and evening highlights featured regional dances, including dogri (Jammu), mathuri (Telangana), tamang selo/Nepali dance (Sikkim), hozagiri (Tripura), bihu (Assam), purulia chhau (West Bengal), pung cholam/ dhol cholam/Thang Ta (Manipur), balti (Ladakh), ghat nritya (HP), sidhi dhamaal (Guj), luddi (Punjab) and dhamaali (J&K).

The regular ground performances that continued throughout the day comprised kachi ghodi (Rajasthan), nachaars (Punjab), nagada and been jogis (Haryana), bajigars (Punjab) and kathputli (Puppet show).

Punjab’s cultural heritage was put on display with singing by Khushi Mohammad of Nakkaal Group.

Mahavir Guddu, a folk artiste from Haryana, performed his invocatory rendition “Shiv Stuti”.

Kashmiri folk singer Gulzar Ahmed Ganaie presented a sufi poem reflecting the trauma of the murder of his brother by terrorists.

Ganaie draws inspiration from mystic saints and poets like Lal Ded and Nand Rishi, symbolising Kashmir’s cultural legacy.

Chaman Lehri, a folk singer from Jammu, also performed on the occasion.

Harbhajan Mann will perform at the mela on Saturday. The 14-day event will conclude on Sunday.