Preparations for the annual 15th Chandigarh National Crafts Mela are going full steam with the host North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) pulling out all the stops to make it an unforgettable event, like never before.
The mega event, jointly organized by the North Zone Cultural Centre (MZCC) and the Department of Art and Culture, Chandigarh Administration, which is all set to kick off on November 28 at Kalagram, Manimajra (Chandigarh), will witness a slew of power-packed performances by, besides Bollywood playback singers, prominent folk singers of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and other regions of the country, who will enthrall music-lovers during the 10-day colourful event.
Prominent among those who are lined up to perform live during the 10-day mega event, include music maestros like prominent ‘dilruba’ exponent Prof Amandeep Singh (Nov 28), Kanwar Grewal (Nov 29), Sudesh Bhosale (Nov 30), Mame Khan (Dec 1), Anuj Sharma and Khushboo Bhardwaj, aka Himachali Nightingale (Dec 2), Vidhi Deswal (Dec 3), Rakesh Khanwal (Dec 4), Manmohan Waris (Dec 5), Amar Noorie, Alaap Sikander, Sarang Sikander (Dec 6), and Amrit Mann (Dec 7), among others.
The theme this year is “Vibrant Bharat” and the host NZCC, mindful of the unprecedented footfall this season, unlike the previous years, has invited acclaimed artisans from as many as 24 states of the country, for preparing the magnificent decor at the Mela venue to accord it a surreal heritage backdrop.
The participating artisans, many of them national and Kabir awardees, have been specially invited to the event, who will showcase the charisma of their deft hands for avid onlookers to see.
There will be morning and evening sessions, which will have a melange of ground and stage performances by folk artistes from various states of the country, clad in their traditional costumes, keeping the audience hooked for hours.
A quiz competition, specially curated for school children to test their ingenuity, will a daily slot.
Special arrangements have also been put in place to engage and motivate the younger generation to know a little about our diverse genres of art and craft, the Lalit Kala Academy has designed a photography competition, the proud winners of which will get awards on every alternate day for the best clicked photos.
For the foodies, it is a gala day to have a date with a range of delectable delicacies to satiate their taste buds.A variety of lip-smacking cuisines and culinary treats will be available at the food corner at the Mela venue, offering dishes from across the country.
NZCC Director Mohd. Furqan Khan on the occasion said “It has always been our earnest endeavor to go the extra mile to bring in, besides sumptuous culinary treats to city folks, a rich repertoire of ethnic handicraft items from various part of the country through this annual feature. I call upon the city folk to steal a little time off their hectic schedule, to be a part of this mega event along with their families and friends”
The daily timings of the Mela are 11 am to 9.30 pm.
