Jaipur comes alive with a colorful celebration of culture
The three-day festival celebrating the 32nd Foundation Day of Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK) began with great energy and joy. The popular cultural center in Jaipur turned into a beautiful mix of art, folk music, and theatre. Known for its unique design and efforts to preserve traditional arts, JKK once again became a favorite spot for artists and art lovers.
The event started with Senior Accounts Officer Bindu Bhobharia painting on the Doodle Wall, adding a creative touch to the inauguration. The day was filled with vibrant performances, including traditional folk dances and live music that delighted the audience.
A major attraction of the festival was the special exhibition of over 100 rare folk musical instruments from Rajasthan. The exhibition, curated by Taneraj Singh Sodha, displayed different types of instruments like tat, anavadya, sushir, and ghan. Artists and musicians from places like Bikaner, Phalodi, Barmer, Jaisalmer, and Bhilwara, as well as tribal groups like the Sahariyas, Meenas, Bhils, and Garasiyas, took part in the event wearing their traditional clothes. Instruments like Ravanhatta, Bam Nagada, Gujari, Pabu Ji ka Mata, and Jogiya Sarangi were especially popular among visitors.
Another highlight was the children’s play Mirage Melodies, directed by Ipsita Chakravarty Singh from NSD. The story followed a boy named Neel, who finds himself in a dreamlike land where water is scarce. Along with a girl named Oni, he goes on a journey to solve the water crisis. The play shared an important message about saving water in a fun and imaginative way, and both kids and adults enjoyed it a lot.
The evening ended with a powerful music concert called Desert Slide. Famous Mohan Veena artist and Grammy Award winner Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, along with Pt. Salil Bhatt on Satvik Veena, created a magical atmosphere with their music. They were joined by well-known Rajasthani folk singers like Padma Shri Ustad Anwar Khan Manganiyar and Kutle Khan. Their beautiful tunes filled the open-air space with the spirit of Rajasthan.
The festival will continue on Wednesday with a grand group performance at 7 PM in the central courtyard, where over 100 folk musicians will play together. A special photo exhibition showing JKK’s 32-year journey will also be open until Thursday.
Through this celebration, Jawahar Kala Kendra once again showed its dedication to preserving India’s cultural traditions while also welcoming new artistic ideas.
