The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, today inaugurated the most diverse cultural festival of India - Rasthriya Sanskriti Mahotsav at the IGNCA, New Delhi.

Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Honourable Minister of State (IC) for Tourism and Culture and Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India hosted the ceremony with Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Honourable Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs as its chief guest.

In the chair was Shri Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya, Honourable Governor of Assam and Nagaland, who graced the occasion, said, “I greet you with NAMASTE, each letter representing a state of the North East. Our traditions are old and rich, and we want to take it to the youth across our country - from Goa to Arunachal. This cultural showcase of India is aimed at driving unity amidst diversity”.

Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Honourable Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, and Parliamentary Affairs, said: “India is a cultural super power; our Gayatri Mantra is being chanted in regions across the oceans such as Surinam and Amsterdam. The thought was to create an Annual Festival that celebrates Ek Rashtra, Shrestha Rashtra.”

Talking about the Rasthriya Sanskriti Mahotsav, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Honourable Minister of State (IC) for Tourism and Culture and Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India, said: “The 7 Zonal Cultural Centres have put together a festival that is dazzling in scale. This Rasthriya Sanskriti Mahotsav has been created to popularise and showcase the soft power of our culture- be it art, artisans, dance, handicrafts or unique flavours from across the nation. We are certain that the audiences will be mesmerized by the presentations of our vibrant culture in all its diversity. ”

The gala ceremony witnessed a power packed 90 minutes performance by over 700 artists from 7 zonal cultural centers including Patiala, Udaipur, Thanjavur, Kolkata, Dimapur, Allahabad and Nagpur showcasing the spectacular diversity of India through folk, tribal and classical art forms in all its dimensions - dance, music, drama, entertainment.

The event witnessed a high energy & intensity filled live performance by renowned Punjabi folk singer, Shri Gurdas Maan, who thrilled the crowd.

The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav features an 8 day extravaganza, which takes the festive season a notch higher with its food and shopping, bringing out the very best of indigenous handicrafts and flavours.