'Monsoon Farewell Fest' planned by Delhi govt on Sep 1

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) For the first time, the Delhi government will celebrate the farewell of the monsoon season with a cultural festival, ‘Badariya: A Monsoon Farewell Festival’ on Monday at Central Park, Connaught Place, Art, Culture and Language Minister Kapil Mishra said on Friday, a day on which he also reviewed facilities at monuments for cultural activities.

He said the Monsoon Farewell Festival will be organised by the Mata Chakeri Devi Foundation in collaboration with the Department of Art, Culture and Language with the support of the Academy.

Earlier, Mishra interacted with officials of the Archaeology Department at a roundtable conference at Delhi Secretariat on equipping the city’s monuments with basic amenities and creating facilities for cultural activities, with the support of corporate organisations.

The event witnessed participation from several eminent institutions including UNESCO, Dalmia Group’s Sabhyata Foundation, Aga Khan Trust, Kakini, INTACH Delhi Chapter, Dharatal, Architectural Studio India, K-2 India, Cosmo, Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee, among others. The main agenda of the conference was to deliberate with heritage experts on adopting the “Adopt a Heritage” scheme.

The Director of the Archaeology Department briefed all participants that the purpose of this scheme is to encourage participation of the public, private sector, and local communities in heritage conservation, while also enhancing the overall tourism experience and promoting economic development around Delhi’s lesser-known monuments.

The focus of the scheme is on improving visitor/tourist experience, under which monuments will be adopted as ‘Monument Mitras’ for an initial period of five years, subject to periodic review.

Mishra highlighted Delhi’s historical significance and reiterated the government’s commitment towards preserving its archaeological heritage and developing it as a vibrant tourism sector for the general public.

Earlier, talking about the Monsoon Festival the Minister said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will be the Chief Guest.

The festival will feature performances by Padma Shri Malini Awasthi, who will mesmerise the audience with Thumri, Kajri, and other folk melodies.

Samriddhi Pathak and Saanvi Pathak will present traditional Maithili folk songs, while instrumental renditions will include tabla by Rimpa Siva, flute by Vaishnavi Joshi, and sitar by Megha Raut.

These performances will bring alive the rich folk traditions and musical heritage of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Mishra said this festival is not just a cultural programme but also a symbol of cultural unity. In a bustling metropolis like Delhi, it will provide people with an opportunity to connect with nature, music, and tradition, he said.

--IANS

rch/pgh