Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan 8: Northeast will hold fusion cultural festival with Gujarat, in a mega event spread over several days, around the first week of April.
This was disclosed here today by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, who chaired a high level joint meeting of officials of the North Eastern Council (NEC), Resident Commissioners and senior officials of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur as well as officers of the Gujarat State government to review preparations for the mega festival.
The eight States of the Northern Eastern Region will participate in a big way during the Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat due to be held in the first week of April this year.
Dr Jitendra Singh directed officials that besides Madhavpur, events including cultural performances, crafts display and food festivals of the North Eastern Region be showcased in other major cities of Gujarat including Ahmedabad to generate wider interest among the local population. He suggested that a logo bringing out the common roots between Gujarat and the North East be designed and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs), Song and Drama Division of Information & Broadcasting Ministry besides the concerned departments of the State Governments be actively involved in various activities. A multimedia publicity campaign will be launched on March 1, 2020 to popularize the Madhavpur Mela. This will mark the cultural integration of Gujarat with the North-East under the Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharatannounced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added.
The week-long ‘Utsav’will see a vibrant cultural trail of art, dance, music, poetry, story-telling and folk drama from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other North-Eastern States with the aim to integrate the rich cultures of the two regions.
Madhavpur Ghed, a small but culturally significant village, is the place where, according to folklore, Lord Krishna married Rukmini, the daughter of King Bhishmaka. Madhavpur lies on the seashore, close to Porbandar. A 15thcentury Madhavrai temple marks the site. This event is commemorated by a cultural fair held every year, commencing on Ram Navami. A colourful chariot carrying the idol of Lord Krishna circumnavigates the village and the festivities usually continue for five days.
Madhavpur Mela this year will witness magnificent folk cultural performances from the North-East, especially Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Troupes from Assam will perform Rukmini-Haran, a popular folk theatre of the region. Musical troupe from Manipur will sing songs related to Rukmini in the Khullong Ishei and Nat gen?e. Dance-dramas based on Rukmini-Krishna legends from Arunachal and Manipur and folk dance of the Idu Mishmi tribe from Arunachal will be part of the varied repertoire.
An exposition and sale of art and crafts of Gujarat and handloom and handicrafts products from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other North-Eastern states will be part of the event. A Visual Art Exhibition on Krishna and Rukmini put together by different institutions of Ministry of Culture like the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya highlighting the variegated legends of Krishna and Rukmini will be the main attraction.
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