Dehradun, 16 Oct: At the Virasat Festival on Wednesday, students from various schools participated and showcased their talents in different art forms. They displayed their skills in making small clay pots, colorful paper kites, beautiful paper flowers and leaves, as well as bottle painting and other craftwork.
The festival provided children with an opportunity to show their talent in painting and other creative arts. The young participants created lasting memories at Virasat with their art displays. Along with their artworks, around 30 students from Meghalaya, currently studying at Dolphin Institute, Suddhowala, visited several stalls at the festival. They observed and learned the techniques of various crafts from the stall owners. The students interacted with Ravi Mishra, a handicraft jewelry artisan from Rajasthan, who shared details about his craft. At the “Agra ka Zayka Uttarakhand Mein Mahka” stall, they eagerly learned about the several types of handmade clothing from stall manager Lucky Rawat.
The students also visited the “Nikammi Aulaad” stall, where they admired artistic designs on mugs, bags, and other decorative items. They also showed great interest while reviewing T-shirts, jackets, and hoodies from the same brand. Overall, the morning craft workshop at Virasat was filled with excitement and creativity. Children enthusiastically learned the art of pottery from Delhi’s Devendra Chacha and also picked up kite-making skills from Shavez Miyan of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
The grand evening of Virasat Festival began with the lighting of the lamp by chief guest and renowned heritage activist Sohail Hashmi, Retired IPS Neeraj Kumar, and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HOF), Uttarakhand, Sameer Sinha.
Devotion spread through the mesmerizing Kuchipudi performance by Arunima Kumar
The enchanting performance by Kuchipudi dancer Arunima Kumar filled Virasat with a devotional atmosphere. She performed “Surya Stuti,” “Ardhanarishwara,” “Dev Devam Bhaje,” “Kalinga Nartanam,” “Shiva Tarangam,” and “Dushasan Vadh,” captivating the audience. The “Ardhanarishwara” dance was presented in Raag Malika and Taal Malika, followed by “Kalinga Nartanam,” depicting young Lord Krishna’s victory over the serpent Kaliya. The performing artists included Cornelia, Bidya, and Arunima Kumar.
Arunima Kumar, one of the brightest stars of Indian classical dance, received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Yuva Puraskar in 2008 for Kuchipudi. She began her artistic journey at the age of nine by acting in the ballet Amrapali, and officially launched her dance career in 1995 with her Arangetram performance at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi. She was honored with the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Currently living in London, she works as a Human Resources consultant at Aricent Group. She began learning Kuchipudi at the age of seven under Padma Bhushan awardee Swapna Sundari and later trained under Padma Shri gurus Jayarama Rao and Vanashree Rao. She has been performing for over 15 years at major national and international cultural festivals. Her notable ballet roles include Chitrangada (as Chitrangada) and Nal Damayanti (as Damayanti). She has received the Sahitya Kala Parishad scholarship (1998) and the “Shringar Mani” title (2001) from Sur Singar Samsad. Listed as an empaneled artist with ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations), she is also a member of the Ministry of External Affairs and an A-grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan. She is now establishing her own arts foundation, Arts Extend, to promote art among youth and encourage peace and harmony in smaller towns and villages.
Legendary singer Begum Parveen Sultana’s melodious voice created magic at the festival
Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee Begum Parveen Sultana began her performance with Raag Maru Bihag, presenting both Vilambit and Drut Khayal. She was accompanied by Pandit Vinay Mishra on harmonium, Ustad Akram Khan on tabla, and Khushi on tanpura, while her daughter Shadab Khan also accompanied her on tanpura.
Heritage activist Sohail Hashmi’s talk show proved deeply insightful
Renowned historian and storyteller Sohail Hashmi received a warm welcome in Dehradun today. Speaking at the “Music of Stones” talk show organized by Virasat, he shared fascinating insights from history. He began by saying that civilization started with agriculture and pottery, which laid the foundation for human progress.
