District collector Prajit Nayar told TOI that the five-day extravaganza will be a blend of music, poetry, theatre, fine arts, sports, and folk art. Zadipatti theatre, a theatre genre popular in this part of Vidarbha, will hold centre stage.The Indira Gandhi Stadium in Gondia is all set to host 8,000-odd spectators for this cultural festival.
“This festival aims to preserve and share the rich culture of Maharashtra. So, we will have captivating performances of folk dances like Dandar, Bharud, Gondhal, and the one by tribals. On the other hand, we will have crowd-puller professional artists like singer Nandesh Umap, Vaishali Samant, and Rahul Deshpande; and Dancers Medha Ghadge,” said the district collector.
A formal inauguration is scheduled on February 12 at 6pm. Cultural affairs minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and Gondia’s guardian minister Dharma Rao Baba Atram will be the chief guests.
Beyond performances, the festival offers a plethora of engaging activities. Kabaddi is a very popular sport in Maharashtra, and Gondia district has many youth teams playing this sport. To engage them, a Kabaddi tournament will be conducted parallel to the cult fest at the same venue.
“We will host cooking, bhajan and rangoli competitions, and a marathon as well. There will be something for everyone, in all age groups,” said Nayar. Throughout the festival, local cuisine will be available at stalls in the food festival.
“This cultural extravaganza welcomes everyone. Entry is free,” the collector said, urging residents to attend this celebration of culture and heritage.
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