Culture Dept to organise Ninaad festival to mark 25th anniversary of Statehood
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the State’s foundation, the Culture department will organise Ninaad – Himalayan Art, Music and Culture Festival from November 1 to 9 at the Himalayan Cultural Centre (HCC). Culture secretary Yugal Kishore Pant said this while addressing the media here on Tuesday.
Pant highlighted that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the State’s foundation, prompting the department to organise the Ninaad festival during the specified dates at HCC. Different sessions will be held during the nine days of the festival. Each session will showcase Uttarakhand’s folk culture, classical music, theatrical performances and cultural discussions. The objective of the event is to introduce the State’s folk traditions and rich heritage to the younger generation. Renowned artists from Uttarakhand and across the country will participate in the festival.
Pant added that artists, folk singers and theatre groups will be actively involved. The Ninaad festival will feature a variety of Uttarakhand’s traditional folk arts, including dances, as well as classical music and theatre. There will also be discussion sessions focusing on Himalayan art, folk music, musical instruments, painting exhibitions and folk tales. Schools, colleges and cultural institutions from across the State are encouraged to join the event to foster a connection with local traditions, he said.
Regarding special performances during the festival, he said that on November 1, students from Bhatkhande Hindustani Music College in Pauri will present a cultural showcase, followed by a Jagar singing performance by Rameshwari Bhatt. A special highlight will be a musical performance by Padma Shr recipient Suresh Wadkar. On iNovember 2, the festival will feature remarkable acts such as Himachal’s famous Nati dance, Arya Nanda’s Odissi dance and folk songs by Narendra Singh Negi. Additionally, Pandavas Band will engage the audience during the festival, with various other programmes scheduled throughout the event till November 9. Pant urged residents to participate in large numbers and announced the launch of the website Ninaad.com to keep them informed about the festival’s activities. He also said that residents can book their seats for the programmes via the Spacebook app.
