Three day Gorakhpur festival which begins on Thursday, will be a heady mix of culture and heritage and culminate on Saturday with a Bollywood Night where top singers from the tinsel town would perform.
This is the first time when cine stars will perform in Gorakhpur - Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s native town. The CM will address the concluding function on January 13 when singers like Shaan, Anuradha Podwal will perform under music director Lalit Pandit. This festival is being organized by Department of Tourism and Department of Culture.
Principal Secretary of Tourism, Avnish Awasthi said that besides these two government agencies, organizers have also roped in finances at the local level from private companies.
Dileep Sharma, an office bearer of the organising committee said that as the culture of Gorakhpur was linked with various religions followed by the people of the city, the festival will defintely showcase the facet.
“The city has a flourishing industry of handloom products. It is a traditional occupation, with skills being passed down the generations. Thus, the festival will provide a market for these artisans,” he said.
Sharma said that folk dances and traditional music were practised in Gorakhpur and Alha, Barahmasi and Kajari were a few of the folk song types particular to this city. They are performed mainly during festive occasions and during the winter nights.
“People will have glimpse of this culture in this festival,” he said.
The itinerary of the festival include debate, essay writing competition, sports including chess, kabaddi, badminton, volleyball and shooting followed by a women event in the afternoon. A fancy dress competition has been scheuled on January 12 and a Talent Hunt on January 13.
The cultural evening include a performance by Malini Awasthi (Son Chirraiya) followed by Bhojpuri Night by Ravi Kishan on January 12. The next day Anup Jalota and Anuradha Podwal will sing Bhajans at Gorakhnath temple in the afternoon while in the evening, Bollywood singers would enthral the audience.