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Ardh Kumbh is going to be a special occasion for the promotion of culture at a higher level. Birju Maharaj, Girija Devi, Sharda Sinha, Teejan Bai, Geeta Mahalik, Ravindra Jain, Mohd Aziz, Sharma Bandhu will be the main performers during the event 'Chalo man Ganga Yamuna teer'. There will be ample scope for the folk artistes to portray their talent. On January 15, we are inviting the artistes from Surinam and Netherlands who will present the dance and musical programme.
Director, NCZCC Bhagwan Shanker
1. What are your plans to promote culture during Ardh Kumbh?
Ardh Kumbh is going to be a special occasion for the promotion of culture at a higher level. Birju Maharaj, Girija Devi, Sharda Sinha, Teejan Bai, Geeta Mahalik, Ravindra Jain, Mohd Aziz, Sharma Bandhu will be the main performers during the event 'Chalo man Ganga Yamuna teer'. There will be ample scope for the folk artistes to portray their talent. On January 15, we are inviting the artistes from Surinam and Netherlands who will present the dance and musical programme.
2. What about the progress in activities undertaken to carry on the concept of Allahabad Haat?
Much initiative has been taken to promote the regional culture, craft and cuisine through Allahabad Haat. In this sequence the Centre will hold 'Gandhi Shilp Mela' from January 1 to 15 which will be based on handicraft. From January 18 to 23, there will be Madhya Pradesh Shilp Mela in which the culture and traditions of MP will be showcased. There will be 60% stalls from Madhya Pradesh while the rest of 40% will be local and from other states. It will be quite a busy schedule for the Centre in the month of January since besides holding the shilp melas, we will also be organising 'Chalo man Ganga Yamuna teer' during Ardh Kumbh from January 9 to 23. Our team of artistes will also be participating in various cultural events taking place at Delhi.
3. How do the outsiders perceive Allahabad on the cultural front?
The outsiders are very well acquainted with the glorious past of Allahabad in both the literary and cultural fields but unfortunately not much is being heard about the achievements of present artistes. Allahabad lags behind in making any remarkable impression on people. It is us who could make the difference. The city is like a sleeping tiger having immense potential but it needs to be tapped.
4. How NCZCC could contribute in promoting tourism in the city?
NCZCC could play a vital role in boosting the tourism in the city. The centre is an important cultural hub. I think Allahabad Haat could be highlighted more as it has the potential to draw the tourists. It could be promoted as a healthy way of entertainment. Besides, the centre has all the vital facilities under one roof such as the venue of Haat, the residential accommodation for the artistes, the library, auditorium, art gallery which is not found in any other centre. As such it could be developed on the lines of India International Centre (IIC).
5. How could the citizens utilise facilities available at the NCZCC?
Firstly, people are not aware of the facilities here as they do not approach the centre to seek information and provide their suggestion.
The lack of communication breeds misunderstandings. We, often, receive complains on trivial matters. We welcome people to utilise our infrastructure such as the membership of the centre's library which is free of cost. We also provide audio-visuals of the programmes based on folk art and culture in the library.
For the school children, we are conducting a programme called 'Dharohar' in which they are invited to watch our audio-visual programmes so that they get to know about their invaluable cultural heritage.
