Lucknow, Aug 15 (IANS) The 80th Independence Day celebrations were held with grandeur, dignity and patriotic fervour in front of the Vidhan Bhavan in Lucknow on Saturday, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hoisting the Tricolour and extending greetings to the people of Uttar Pradesh.
The celebrations began at around 9:15 a.m. with a rendition of the national song, ‘Vande Mataram’, by students of Bhatkhande Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya. The 32nd Battalion PAC, 35th Battalion PAC and the military band further enhanced the solemnity of the occasion with disciplined performances.
The atmosphere turned festive as flower petals were showered from the sky during the cultural performances. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath later released Tricolour balloons, drawing enthusiastic cheers of ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ from the gathering.
The Department of Culture presented a special programme based on the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat (One India, Great India)’.
Artistes from Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand, Purvanchal, Awadh and western regions, along with performers from Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Bihar, showcased the country’s rich cultural diversity on a single platform.
The performances included folk songs dedicated to ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ and ‘Chhathi Maiya’, along with traditional folk dances from different states.
A tableau featuring Lord Ram, Goddess Sita and Lakshman, presented by the Gauri Kala Mandapam group, captivated the audience. Kumkum Rastogi from Varanasi portrayed Goddess Sita, while Ritvik Singh played Lord Ram and Ayush Sahu portrayed Lakshman. Around 16 artists participated in the presentation.
Kumkum Rastogi described performing before Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Independence Day as an auspicious and proud moment. She said there could be no greater opportunity for an artiste than to showcase their talent on such a grand stage. The team had rehearsed continuously for around five days at the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
The Kathak and folk dance troupe from Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya delivered a spectacular performance. The team comprised 20 Kathak dancers and six folk dancers, with the Kathak presentation featuring a ‘Tarana’. The artistes said they had rehearsed for around five days for the Independence Day programme.
Ravi Shankar from Mathura-Vrindavan added a spiritual touch to the celebrations with his Shankh (conch shell) recital. He said he had rehearsed for four days and felt proud to perform on the Independence Day stage.
A 19-member troupe from Chhattisgarh presented ‘Rela Pata’, a traditional folk art form from Bastar, as part of a 15-minute performance featuring artists from various states.
Troupe leader Kulbhushan Chandrakar said the team had prepared for nearly a week. Expressing happiness over performing in Lucknow, he thanked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said Bastar was home to immense artistic talent. He described the opportunity to perform on Independence Day as a matter of pride.
Chandrakar also noted that Chhattisgarh is regarded as the maternal home of Mata Kaushalya and said the artistes were honoured to perform in Uttar Pradesh, the land associated with Lord Ram.
Neelam, who travelled from Arunachal Pradesh, said performing at the Independence Day celebrations was a moment of immense joy and pride for her team.
Bahubali Rajman from Maharashtra said his 22-member team had spent around a week preparing for the event. He described sharing the stage with artistes from different states as a wonderful experience.
The shower of flower petals and the release of Tricolour balloons further heightened the patriotic spirit. The excitement was particularly visible among children and members of the public, many of whom held the National Flag and enthusiastically participated in the celebrations.
Legislative Council Chairman Kunwar Manvendra Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal, MLC Pawan Singh, MLA Dr Neeraj Bora, along with other public representatives and senior officials, were present on the occasion.
–IANS
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