New Delhi: The “Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM)-2017” will be held from 7th to 9th October, 2017 in India’s 1st 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 6th edition of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav on 7th 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 19thcentury 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 8thOctober 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”.
| Date | City | Programme | Venue |
| 10th October | Vadodara, | Celebrating India’s plural traditions, ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ by the Zonal Cultural Centres | Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Gruh |
| 11th October | Rajkot | Hemu Gadhvi Natyagruh | |
| 12th October | Somnath | Somnath Temple Premises | |
| 13th October | Dwarka | Gomti Ghat,Dwarka |
