IGNCA Celebrates Vikram Samvat 2074 with Cultural Extravaganza

NEW DELHI:
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) ushered in the Indian New Year, Vikram Samvat 2074, by holding a three-day cultural festival of dance-drama, Hindustani classical music, comedy show and fusion and rock music, which enthralled the audiences by its sheer variety of programmes and power-packed performances.
The cultural extravaganza, titled ‘Swagat Parv’, had its grand finale last evening with the SAM Band, a powerful youth engagement of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan, dishing out a dance, music and comedy show with captivating youth energy at the IGNCA Lawns here.
The event, organised by IGNCA for the first time, was kicked off on Sunday (March 26) with a theatrical presentation on ‘Draupadi Antarkatha’ by Draupadi Dream Trust, New Delhi. Directed by Neera Mishra, the play portrayed Indian mythological figure, ‘Draupadi’, as a powerful icon of woman power and a relentless fight against injustice and obnoxious patriarchy.
The concerts on the second day were presented by Pandit Sugato Bhaduri, the only Mandolin exponent in Hindustani classical music, and Meera Prasad, a well-known Sitar player. Pandit Bhaduri was accompanied on ‘Tabla’ by Ustad Akram Khan while Pandit Shailendra Mishra supported Meera Prasad on ‘Tabla’.
Some other interesting events were a dance-drama on ‘Rakht Beej Sanhar’, by SAM arts group; a fusion musical concert based on rock music by SAM Band; and a socially relevant comedy show by Siddharth Sagar, a well-known Indian television and cinema personality. Through this event, SAM Band intended to promote drug abuse eradication and adoption of Indian cultural traditions.
Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA said, “This is the first time IGNCA is celebrating the Indian Calendar New Year. The three days programmes are representative of the rich cultural tradition of India.”
Through this festival, an attempt was made to revive the lost traditions and especially make the younger generation aware of India’s traditional cultural practices, arts and heritage.
Also known as ‘Navreh’ in Kashmir, ‘Gudi Padwa’ in Maharashtra and ‘Ugadi’ in Andhra
Pradesh, the new year of the Indian calendar, Vikram Samvat 2074, is considered to be 56.7 years ahead of the Solar Gregorian Calendar. Traditionally, people in different parts of India celebrate the onset of a new year of the Indian calendar with festivities and fervour. However, with passage of time, the festivity has lost its original significance.