Dehradun: The cultural confluence of Himalayan states at Ninad 2025, the Uttarakhand State Foundation Day celebration, reached its peak on the seventh day. The Open Theatre once again came alive with the vibrant hues of Himalayan culture, featuring artists from Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir showcasing their traditional folk forms.
The program began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by Ashish Kumar, Deputy Director of the Uttarakhand Directorate of Culture. The Veer Shiromani Maharana Pratap Tharu Utthan Samiti opened the ceremony with a soulful rendition of Satyam Shivam Sundaram, followed by the traditional Mari Holi dance of the Tharu community. The Surendra Rana Bawri a Folk Song Group from Jaunsar presented energetic Tandi songs and dances. Artists from Mohan Pandey’s Anchal Kala Kendra, Haldwani, performed the Chanchari dance to the popular folk song Hit Kaushali Meri Gadi Mein.
Emotional Performance of “Chakravyuh” by Women Artists
The highlight of the first session on the seventh day was the mesmerizing theatrical presentation of Chakravyuh by the Kedar Ghati Mandaṇ Cultural Group, Guptkashi, under the direction of Dr. Krishnanand Nautiyal. The uniqueness of this performance lay in the fact that all roles, including those of the Pandavas and Kauravas, were enacted by women. Dr. Nautiyal shared that this was the group’s third experiment featuring an all-women cast. With their poised singing and expressive acting, the performers left the audience deeply moved. Group member Narendra Singh Rauthan provided a historical insight into the Chakravyuh and Kamalvyuh traditions of the Kedarnath Valley. On this occasion, Dr. Nautiyal also presented a copy of his book to the Department of Culture.
Glimpses of Kashmiri Folk Culture
The confluence also featured a captivating glimpse of Kashmiri folk culture. The Jammu & Kashmir Natyarang Group first performed the Dogri Jatgna, a traditional Jagran-style folk dance from the Jammu region, usually performed by groups of women during weddings to celebrate the groom’s festivities. This was followed by a presentation of Rauf, a graceful women’s dance traditionally performed during the holy month of Ramadan.
Deputy Secretary of Culture Pradeep Joshi honored all the guest artists by presenting them with mementos.
Discussion – Himalayan Cuisine and Heritage
Cuisine is an integral part of any culture. In the discussion session “Himalayan Cuisine and Heritage” of Ninad, the cultural confluence of Himalayan states, renowned culinary expert and historian Professor Pushpesh Pant shared deep insights into various dimensions of food culture.
On stage, in conversation with Himanshu Darmora, he unveiled many fascinating facts about the cuisine and culinary traditions of the Upper Himalayas, Middle Himalayas, and the Terai region. He highlighted not only the similarities in food culture across the world’s mountainous regions but also their distinct differences.
During the session, Professor Pant answered audience queries and clarified their doubts. A large number of hotel management students and food enthusiasts attended the discussion to benefit from his presence.
Culture Secretary and Director General Yugal Kishore Pant honored Professor Pant with a shawl and memento as a token of appreciation.
Evening Session
Chief Minister congratulates Culture Department from the Ninad stage
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the seventh evening of Ninad 2025 by lighting the ceremonial lamp as the Chief Guest. DG Yugal Kishore Pant presented the Chief Minister with a replica of the four-armed idol of Lord Vishnu. Sonal Mansingh was presented with a souvenir of the Brahmakamal flower by the Chief Minister. Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal was also present during the lamp-lighting ceremony.
In his address, the Chief Minister congratulated the Culture Department for the grand organization of Ninad. He said that when culture and society walk together, development finds its soul. He praised the Culture Department for uniting the Himalayan states through Ninad and for commemorating the Uttarakhand state movement. On this occasion, the Chief Minister announced an increase in the honorarium for elderly and destitute artists from ₹3,000 to ₹6,000. Furthermore, he announced that the state’s cultural troupes would be paid at par with the rates of the Bharatiya National Centre for the Arts.
Following this, Padmavibhushan Dr. Sonal Mansingh gave a splendid performance of the Gangavataran dance and the Kevat episode from the Ramayana. Dr. Sonal Mansingh presented her book, Zig Zag Mind, to the Chief Minister. She also requested the Chief Minister to establish a Sangeet Natak Akademi (Academy of Music and Drama).
Pandavaas Steal the Show:
The Pandavaas Music Band made the seventh evening of Ninad 2025 unforgettable. Their unique style of presentation, combining tradition and modernity, has made this band very popular among the people. Consequently, the auditorium of the Himalayan Culture Centre was completely packed. Hundreds of people enjoyed the songs on the large screen installed outside. Pandavaas began their performance with the folk song Pana Panuli. They then made the audience dance enthusiastically to their renditions of the Kedarnath Stuti, Nandadevi Geet, Tilga, Ranchana, and Dhunyal.
