Multilingual children’s theatre festival showcases India’s rich linguistic heritage

Nagpur: A vibrant celebration of culture and linguistic diversity in India was seen at Balrangbhumi Parishad's ‘Multilingual Children's Theatre Festival' that concluded on Thursday. The event, held at the Scientific Society Hall, showcased the artistic talents of young performers through plays in various languages, enthralling the audience.
The festival featured ‘Manohara Vasundhara' in Sanskrit by Sanskrit Bhasha Pracharini Sabha, ‘Punnika' in Pali by Buddhist Academy, ‘Walid Jannat Ka Darwaza' in Urdu by Anjuman High School, ‘Sindhu Ju Kahinkha Na Hariyu' in Sindhi by Sindhudi Youth Wing, ‘Who's Who' in English by JN Tata Parsi School, and ‘Tiruvallai Yadal' in Tamil by Saraswati High School.
Through these multilingual performances, children beautifully depicted India's cultural and linguistic heritage, creating an immersive experience of unity in diversity.
Astha Karlekar, Director of South Central Zone Cultural Centre, was the chief guest at the concluding function. She emphasised the importance of preserving linguistic and cultural heritage. "Learning languages is an intimate experience. We must take pride in our mother tongue and national language. This multilingual festival is a commendable effort to celebrate our diversity. Theatre is not just about performing; it's about expressing oneself and finding joy in the process," she said.
Karlekar distributed mementos, certificates, and awards to the participating institutions. Additionally, two actors from each play were recognised for their outstanding performances and awarded special prizes.
Bal Rangbhoomi Nagpur's head, Abha Meghe, presided over the function while Aparna Lakhmapure served as the judge, evaluating the performances and sharing her insights.
The organising committee, comprising Sanjay Rahate, Vilas Kubde, Prashant Mangde, Anil Dev, and Kishor Battase, played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the event. Several organisations, including Rashuddhi Multipurpose Social Education Institute, Tandav Creation, Pollution Control and Civic Health Promotion Institute, Nilshobha Multipurpose Institute, Deoraoji Kubde Service Trust, and Swaramanthan, supported the festival.
Prominent theatre personalities — Kishor Dau, Dr Anil Kawade, Sanjay Pendse, Nilay Khandekar, Rupali More, Vaidehi Chavare, Anil Indane, Nitin Patrikar, and Yogesh Raut — graced the festival and encouraged the children.
"This festival served as a significant step in nurturing young theatre artists while fostering appreciation for India's linguistic and cultural diversity," said theatre veteran Sanjay Pendse.