The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav, representing the 11th edition of the vibrant cultural festival, swept through Murshidabad in West Bengal for its concluding leg. The event featured an array of enthralling performances by local artists, bringing to life the region’s rich tradition and culture.
The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav
Inaugurated in 2015 by the Ministry of Culture, the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav has blossomed into a flagship celebration of India’s vast cultural heritage. Organized annually with the collaboration of Seven Zonal Culture Centres, the festival aims to bring various facets of national culture – Handicrafts, Cuisine, Painting, Sculpture, and Performing Arts including Folk, Tribal, Classical, and Contemporary – to one stage.
Over the years, the festival has taken place in various locations across the country, such as Delhi, Varanasi, Bengaluru, Tawang, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tehri, and Madhya Pradesh.
Role and Significance
One of the significant impacts of the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav is its instrumental role in promoting the dynamic Indian culture beyond galleries and auditoriums and straight to the general public. It serves as a platform that brings tribal and folk art, dance, music, cuisines, and more from different states to larger audiences, fostering the ethos of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”.
In addition to providing an influential platform for artists and artisans, the festival plays a crucial role in revitalizing cultural connections, emphasizing ‘India as a Nation’ over centuries and engaging particularly with the youth.
Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Initiative
Launched by the Ministry of Education in 2015, the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative aims to foster engagement among people from diverse cultures of different states and union territories. This initiative strives to cultivate a mutual understanding and strengthen unity and integrity in the country.
The primary objectives of this initiative revolve around celebrating India’s diversity, promoting national integration through structured engagement, showcasing the rich cultural heritage and traditions, establishing long-term engagements, and creating an environment for learning by sharing best practices and experiences.
Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs)
Established with the goal to consolidate the ancient roots of Indian culture and nurture a composite national culture, seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) are spread across the nation. These include Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre Kolkata, North Central Zone Cultural Centre Allahabad, North East Zone Cultural Centre Dimapur, North Zone Cultural Centre Patiala, South Central Zone Cultural Centre Nagpur, South Zone Cultural Centre Thanjavur, and West Zone Cultural Centre Udaipur.
These ZCCs regularly organise various cultural activities and programmes across the country. In addition, they run several schemes, such as Award for Young Talented Artists, Guru Shishya Parampara, Theatre Rejuvenation, Shilpgram, Octave, and National Cultural Exchange Programme (NCEP).
Source:PIB