On Satyagrah anniversary, a swachh dream with ‘Ras Banaras’

VARANASI: The millennia-old city of Varanasi, known for its fairs and festivals, witnessed a different celebration, ‘Ras Banaras — Swachhagrah — Bapu Ko Kaaryaanjali’, a two-day cultural festival for cleanliness, organized at Man Mandir Ghat and Assi Ghat on Wednesday and Thursday.
The event, organised by the Union ministry of culture, focused on music and dance performances on cleanliness theme.

The event was part of the initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi in April 2017 to mark the 100th anniversary of Champaran Satyagrah, linking Mahatma Gandhi’s core principle of Satyagrah with Swachhagrah.

The city had also seen Modi picking up a spade to clean silt at Assi Ghat in November 2014 while spearheading his dream mission — Swachha Bharat.

“It is our effort to connect cleanliness and sanitation, the cherished dreams of Bapu, with our heritage through cultural activities in a mission mode,” said cultural secretary and director of National Archives of India (NAI) Raghvendra Singh, who was in the city to attend the festival.

“Such festivals are also being held at several other places along the Ganga, and one would be held in Haridwar shortly,” he said, adding that it is an attempt to sensitize young generation about Gandhi’s dream of Swachh Bharat.

Integrating the tangible and intangible heritage, different institutions like the National Mission for Clean Ganga and Namami Ganga Jagriti Yatra, artistes and artisans came together for conservation of the river.

“It is good to see a cultural programme to highlight the issue of cleanliness,” said Madan Prasad, a guest.

Besides locals, several foreigners also enjoyed the cultural event at Man Mandir Ghat.

An exhibition on Varanasi, curated by the National Archives, was organised at Man Mandir Ghat.