Vitasta Cultural Festival: Colourful pre-events bring thrills to venues in Srinagar, B’gam

Srinagar: As part of ongoing series of pre-events leading up to the grand “Vitasta Cultural Festival,” scheduled to take place from June 23rd to 25th at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre here, a diverse range of cultural programmes unfolded on Monday in the districts of Srinagar and Budgam.
These programmes are aimed at setting the stage and creating an atmosphere of anticipation for the upcoming festival by showcasing the rich cultural heritage and artistic talents of Jammu and Kashmir.
The grand festival, an initiative of the Union Ministry of Culture and organised through the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, aims to bring to life Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ (One India, Great India) under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative.
Also, the primary purpose of holding this prestigious festival in the Valley is to celebrate and showcase the rich cultural and traditional heritage forms, including music, singing, dances, handicrafts, and cuisine, unique to the region of Jammu and Kashmir.
On Monday, the colourful artistic events were organised at the venues in Srinagar’s Sonwar, Amira Kadal and as well as at the Girls Higher Secondary School in Magam village of central Kashmir’s Budgam. These venues became hubs of artistic expression, stirring up the spirit of cultural celebration and leaving a lasting impression on attendees.
The performances by predominantly native artists left audiences mesmerised. These performances ranged from traditions of folk songs and dances to folk forms of art such as Dhambali, Kud dance, Jagran, Bach Nagma, Rauf, Chakri, Geetru, Dogri, and so on.
Meanwhile, the organisers said that a series of pre-event programmes would be organised at the venues of the Auditorium of Sher-e-Kashmir University, Kothi Bagh Girls School, Government College of Education and picturesque riverfront.
In addition, a calligraphy camp will commence at Bemina Government College in Srinagar on June 21 with its culmination on June 25.
The camp has been designed with the intention of nurturing the art of calligraphy and celebrating the rich heritage of diverse writing styles.