Remembering Randhawa

SD Sharma

Come February 2 and the ambience of Punjab Kala Bhavan will reverberate with activities related to literature, folk and performing arts as the five-day long Dr Mohinder Singh Randhawa Annual Utsav-2020 opens to commemorate the birth anniversary of legendary Dr MS Randhawa, former ICS and Chief Commissioner Chandigarh.

Hailed as the son of the soil, Dr MS Randhawa was someone, who had translated the cultural soul of Punjab through literary, art and cultural activities.

The Punjabi poet, Dr Surjit Patar, disclosed that the festival is aimed at commemorating the cherished memory of Dr Randhawa, who had envisioned and worked for the preservation, propagation and promotion of the rich art and cultural heritage of Punjab, especially those folk art forms now on the verge of extinction.

The prestigious Punjab Gaurav Sanmaan will be bestowed on five personalities, including Gurbachan Singh Bhullar, Ajit Kaur, Mohan Bhandari, Devinder Daman and Kanwarjit Singh Kang for their incredible contribution in their respective realm of art. The award carries a citation, memento and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

While the programmes like collage and craft (Feb 3), literary Tere Sanmukh (Feb 4), Seminar on Gurmukhi Lipi (Feb 5) and Naujawan Kavi Darbar (Feb 6) will be held at 11.5 am, folk dances by Nachars (Feb 2) Malwai Gidha ( Feb 3), Puadi Jalsa (Feb 4), Naqqals (Feb 5) and Bhand Marasis, Bazigars ( Feb 6) will be presented between 4 pm to 5 pm.

Here is a brief schedule of the important cultural programmes to be held from 5.30 pm to 8 pm.

Feb 2: Inauguration, Punjab Gaurav Sanman and folk singing by Gurdeep.

Feb 3: Punjabi play Eh Gallan Kite Phr Karange by Gurtej Mann.

Feb 4: Kavi Darbar

Feb 5: Lok Gayaki by Gurpreet Waris

Feb 6: Punjabi play, Gagan Mai Thaal by Kewal Dhaliwal.