New Delhi: The “Second Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM)-2016” will be held from 15th to 23rd October, 2016 in the premises of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), Janpath, New Delhi. Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism addressing the media persons here 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.
He 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. In order to connect the youth, a massive exercise in the online and social media sphere is being undertaken and a mobile app for Android based smart phones has been designed, which was launched by the Culture Minister in the Press Conference.
The Minister also informed the media that 150 performances of 10 ‘Nukkad Naatak’ all over Delhi carrying important socio-cultural messages dovetailing the message of RSM with the performances.
Replying to a question, Secretary, M/o Culture Shri N K Sinha informed that the RSM in Delhi was one of the 5 RSM planned in this financial year and that immediately following the conclusion of the Delhi-RSM, is the RSM in Varanasi which will be organized in multiple venues from the 18th to the 25th of November-2016.
The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav would showcase all these aspects of Indian Culture in different areas designated for the same. Accordingly, there will be a ‘Shilp Haat’ in which pavilions called “Aaangans” would be put up by each of the seven Zonal Cultural Centers (ZCCs) of the country as well as the Academies and IGNCA. In this ‘Shilp Haat’ master craftsmen from all over the country will display and sell their crafts to the general public and sale of the publications of these autonomous bodies on various aspects of Indian Culture is also a salient feature. Demonstrations of the process of creation of the wares based on their crafts by the master-craftsmen will also be done here. The Aangans will be decorated by expert traditional painters and sculptors, in styles most representative of the regions that each of the ZCCs represents.
The Day-long performances of traditional performers of fringe-folk arts like ‘Behroopiyas’, ‘Baazigars’, ‘Kacchi Ghori’ etc will take place in the Shilp Haat and the rest of the campus. These artists are also known as ‘Maidaani Kalaakar’ as they perform in the open without any need for a stage. Facing the Shilp Haat will be a Food Court where masterchefs of traditional delicacies from different regions of the country will treat the visitors to an unparalleled culinary experience. In the lawns opposite the ‘Maati Ghar’ and in the Art Gallery of the IGNCA, two photo exhibitions will run concurrently. One of these exhibitions is on Vandalism of places of historical and national importance in order to draw public attention to this very damaging activity done by misguided and insensitive people which causes irreparable damage and loss to irreplaceable national heritage. This exhibition will be as a part of the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’ of the Prime Minister of India-albeit focused on a dimension of this Abhiyaan which has till now not received its due share of attention. The second exhibition will be on the recently Concluded ‘Simhastha Kumbh Mela’ showcasing its splendor and magnificence as well its importance in the cultural consciousness of the Nation.
Last, but not the least will be an opulent main stage in the open air stage area of the IGNCA campus where dance and singing performances by artists of National and International stature will take place every evening from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The opening and closing programmes will be choreographed presentations featuring a fusion of folk, classical and contemporary art forms with an areal component in the opening ceremony. An ancillary stage will also be set up in the Shilp Haat area where daylong performances of students and different cultural groups of the city will take place. On this stage, in a programme called ‘Mujhe Bhi Kuchh Kahnaa Hai’ the lay visitors to the festival will also be given an opportunity to perform and showcase their talent in front of a large audience.
The Seven Zonal Cultural centers of the country have been enjoined upon with the task of organizing the RSM in Delhi as well as taking it to different cities of the country under the banner of the slogan “EK BHAARAT SHRESTH BHAARAT”.
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