Culture, tradition on display at Haryana Day celebrations

The second day of the three-day cultural fair and exhibition organised at Yavanika Garden in Sector 5, Panchkula, to mark Haryana Day witnessed spirited celebrations and high enthusiasm. While vibrant cultural performances captivated audiences at the open-air theatre, the exhibition area drew significant footfall with stalls put up by various government departments.

Visitors arriving at the venue were greeted with the rhythmic beats of dhol, ‘nagara’ and the melodious notes of the traditional ‘been’. Artistes entertained spectators with folk songs and contemporary performances on the main stage. At the Haryana Tourism stall, visitors savoured traditional delicacies and experienced the authentic flavours of the state.

Nearly 30 stalls set up by self-help groups under the Haryana State Rural Livelihood Mission emerged as a major attraction. The stalls primarily showcased products made by women, including organic turmeric, biscuits made from millets, artificial jewellery, handicraft items and traditional apparel.

A heritage exhibition curated by Raghuvinder Malik also drew significant attention. It showcased traditional attire, tools and agricultural implements associated with rural life in Haryana. Malik shared that he has been collecting heritage artefacts and organising exhibitions across the country since 1986.

Alongside entertainment and cultural showcases, a key highlight was a special exhibition by the Information, Public Relations and Languages Department, which provided information on various state welfare schemes related to women, youth, farmers, industries, start-ups and poverty alleviation.

The NIPUN Haryana stall emerged as a major attraction. While the Education Department showcased innovative teaching-learning material developed under the NIPUN (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) programme, the stall featuring NIPUN Ramleela drew particular appreciation from visitors.

Students from Classes 3 to 5 of Government Primary School, Sector 19, captivated the audience with their performance of the ‘Sita Haran’ scene from the Ramayana. Spectators were left amazed by the confidence and talent of the children as they enacted the dramatic interactions between Ravana and Maricha, and the emotional Sita–Ravana dialogue, earning enthusiastic applause.

The Department of Art and Cultural Affairs hosted a captivating Haryanvi folk song and ragini competition. A total of 18 teams from various colleges and schools across Haryana participated in the event. The teams securing first, second and third positions will be felicitated by CM Nayab Singh Saini during the closing ceremony tomorrow.