A National Cultural Festival (NCF) has been organised by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India at Ujjain from April 22 as a part of Simhastha Kumbh starting Friday. Pt. Jasraj will perform on the inaugural day.
All seven Cultural Zones of the country along with lalit Kala Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi, National School of Drama, CCRT, and Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi will be participating in the festival organised in collaboration with Government of Madhya Pradesh. Around 3,000 artists from all over India have been invited to perform at the festival.
Under the festival, every day various cultural programs will be organized on four platforms named – Garh Kalika Manch, Agar Manch, Bhookhi Mata and Sadaval Manch. Over 150 Rangoli artists will be making their presentations every day, while over 300 painters will be displaying their creativity documenting various aspects of Simhastha Kumbh.
Divine classical, semi-classical and light music and folk and dances, kavi sammelan, plays, rangoli, art workshops, book exhibitions will be some of the major attractions of the festival. Artists will also make presentations to convey a message on keeping rivers pure and clean. South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur is the Nodal Agency for the festival.
The NCF at Ujjain assumes significance keeping in view devotees from various parts of the country and abroad will be arriving there during the month-long Simhastha.
Tourists and visitors will get to see the best of Indian art and culture at the site that will also be publicized the world over.