normalnormalnormalThe two-day “Vaisakhi Utsav-2026”, organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Patiala, kicked off at Kalagram here, today, with much fanfare.The two-day cultural melange is an initiative of NZCC, aimed at giving a fillip to the vibrant cultural heritage of Punjab.The gung-ho farming community on this gala day come out of the confines of their houses, to gather for a grandiose to celebrate the bumper harvest of wheat crop.They sing songs of joy, invoking the divine to offer their gratitude. They dance to the peppy beats of the ‘dhol’ amid other folk musical instruments and make merry. Clad in their colorful apparels, they perform various dances amid the serenading strains of folk musical instruments, like dhol, dholki, chimta, algoza,tumbi, sarangi, sapp, chimta, manjeeragharha, among others, offering an ineffaceable vibe of Punjabi culture to the onlookers.The inaugural day of the high-octave fest, witnesseda slew of scintillating folk dances of Punjab, which set the tone for a pitch-perfect musical evening to follow.However, the show-stopping performance of the evening was the graceful Malwai ‘Giddha’, a fascinating folk dance of Punjab, presented by the artistes clad in their traditional multi-hued attires under the direction of prominent folk artiste Major Singh (and troupe), who also showcased the magic of his robust Punjabi folk singing amid heady strains of folk musical instruments, which evoked a thunderous applause from the audience.This was followed by a fusion of folk performances, including prominent folk dances of Punjab, like ‘Jhoomar’ by Jaswant Singh; ‘Jindua’ and ‘Luddi’ by Narottam Singh; ‘Bhangra’ by Amninder Singh; ‘Baazigar’ by Bakhshish Singh; ‘Ghoomar’ and ‘Phag’ by Manoj Jale and ‘Bhand-Mirasi’ by Som Sehota, presented by them along with their troupes. ‘Gatka’, a daredevil martial art form associated with the Sikh community, was performed by Talwinder Singh and team, that left the audience in awe and admiration.The concluding day, April 13, will bring live a flurry of fascinating folk performances, cut out to keep the audience mesmerised.The star performers of the evening will include well-known folk artiste Shaminder Shammi (and troupe), who will captivate the audience with his robust Punjabi folk singing, while Desh Raj Lachhkani will dazzle music buffs with his the traditional ‘Dhadi’ folk singing along with his troupe, among others.The event timings on the concluding day will be 6 pm, onwards, with free entry for visitors.NZCC Director Mohd. Furqan Khan, the beacon light behind such theme initiatives, appealed to the city folks to be a part of the cultural renaissance, saying the festivals played a pivotal role in forging unity, amity and common camaraderie among the diverse communities, besides connecting the youth to their rich cultural legacy.normalnormalThe post Festive start to two-day “Vaisakhi Utsav-26” at Kalagram appeared first on Chandigarh City News.