More than 9,000 artistes performed a folk dance in Himachal Pradesh to highlight the ‘Save the Girl Child’ message and the event created a world record of largest participation at one point of time.
Kullu Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar said that the performance by 9,892 folk dancers during the Kullu Dussehra celebrations in Kullu town has entered the pages of the Guinness World Records.
He said that a communication in this regard was received from the Guinness World Records authorities on Monday. Kanwar said that the Kullu Natti—as the folk dance is called—is the largest voluntary dance in the world. Dressed in traditional Himachali attire, the dancers had performed on October 26 last year.
The participants, both men and women had also taken a pledge to work for the cause of the girl child. The Guinness World Records office in london monitored the performance.
Earlier in 2014, a total of 8,540 artists performed a folk dance also during the Kullu Dussehra festivities and entered the limca Book of Records. Meanwhile, Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh lauded the efforts of the Kullu administration for conducting the mega cultural event.
The Chief Minister said he himself had witnessed the event organised under the aegis of ‘Beti Hai Anmol’ which effectively spread the mass awareness on saving the girl child.
He said that it was a matter of pride for the people of the State especially the people of Kullu district, that the local dance had made a world record. He congratulated the participants particularly the female folk dancers whose contribution made it possible to enter into the Guinness Book of world records. He said that he himself witnessed the event organised under the aegis of ‘Beti Hai Anmol’, which effectively spread the mass awareness on saving the girl child.
Virbhadra said that Himachal Pradesh is known for its rich culture and traditions and State Government is committed to promote and preserve it at all cost. He exhorted the people to maintain our distinct cultural traditions which were the real identity and heritage of the State.
Himachal Pradesh has been bracketed among the 10 states having the worst sex ratio in the country at 909 females to 1,000 males. The overall national sex ratio according to the 2011 Census is 940 females per 1,000 males.