Continuing its endeavour to promote India’s rich cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture has organised 3 day long diversified cultural festival ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav’ festival which was inaugurated today by Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat, at Koti Colony, Near Tehri Lake, Uttrakhand,The North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala has been entrusted with the responsibility as the nodal agency to carry forward the execution of the National Cultural Festival under the banner of the slogan “EK BHARAT SHRESHTHA BHARAT”. Chief Minister Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat along with other dignitaries also visited cuisine and craft stalls and interacted with artists and artisans.Addressing on the occasion, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat said there is unity in diversity in our country and it is the Culture which binds all of them together. He applauded the efforts of Ministry of Culture in organizing such a unique cultural event which gives people from different regions a chance to showcase their talent, artworks and delicacies at one platform. He said – “RashtriyaSanskriti Mahotsav is strengthening the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat’s vision which will provide an opportunity to citizens specially youths to experience true spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat.” He thanked Minister of State for Culture (I/C) Dr. Mahesh Sharma and Ministry of Culture for bringing the festival to the state of Uttrakhand and supporting wholeheartedly the Tehri Lake Festival.The inaugural day started with a glittering colourful state’s cultural parade followed by a Classical Singing performance by Rashi Pant and Chirak Pant. Presentation of Nritya Natika on Veer Bhad Singh Bhandari elated the audience to their core.

Just before the inauguration ceremony started respects were paid to River Ganga with a Ganga Pujan ceremony. In the Dance segment, a folk dance performance of Gorwara Kunitha (Karnataka), Phag (Haryana), Sidhi Dhamal (Gujarat) and Chakri (Rajasthan) was showcased. Beside this a dance drama ‘based on shiva’ by Padma Bhushan Saroja Vaidyanathan and group along with a performance of Jagar Samrat Preetam Bhartwan was also showcased. Audience were enthralled with the sound and light show on water screen titled as The Tehri Show at Lake Venue.Guests also experienced an unparalleled shopping journey viz handicrafts, cuisines and sculpture during the festival.Other eminent guests present were Satpal Maharaj, Tourism Minister, Uttarakhand, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Member of Parliament, Tehri Garhwal and Dhan Singh Negi, MLA, Tehri.Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav was conceived by the Ministry of Culture in the year 2015, when the Ministry decided to organize it with an intent to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Country in all its rich and varied dimensions, viz Handicrafts, Cuisine, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Documentation and Performing Arts-Folk, Tribal, Classical and Contemporary- all in one place.So far, the Ministry of Culture has organized 8 RSM’s i.e. 2 in Delhi, 2 in Karnataka, 1 each in Varanasi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and RSM North East in all NE State capitals.The celebrated festival will continue to connect people of Uttarakhand with India’s rich culture till 27th May, 2018.