Rain fails to play spoilsport as saang artistes enthral audience in Chandigarh

Rain failed to play spoilsport to upbeat people who thronged Kalagram, the venue of the four-day Haryanavi Saang Utsav-26, organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Union Ministry of Culture.

The cloudy Friday evening suddenly turned spirited as saang artist Pardeep Rai Saangi hopped onto the stage and delivered a power-packed performance along with his team to the cheering spectators.

The saang, titled “Leelo-Chaman”, written by Rai Dhanpat Singh, a saga of two loving hearts separated during the partition lit up the stage. The tale recalls characters’ love for each other. With a distant hope in his heart of hearts, Chaman travels to Pakistan, scouring places in search of his beloved. And finally, his resilience and perseverance paid off – he finds Leelo and they lived happily ever after.

The engaging presentation garnered a resounding applause from the audience. Saangi is the fourth generation descendant of Rai Dhanpat Singh.

Up next was Daan Singh, who mesmerised the audience with an impressive theatrical portrayal of Haryanvi culture and folklore through various characters in the saang titled Dharmdevi and Nau Bahar, which revolved around two lovers hailing from royal families. They were married off early, much against their wishes, leaving them to fend for themselves. The telling tale brings out the spirit of sacrifice made by the girl in raising him in the woods, with the help of a seer who lived there. Time rolls by and both, now adults, return to their kingdom, to live with their family, after a spell of long-drawn trials and tribulations. The story reflects on the sacrifices of a quintessential woman to achieve a mission.

Folk theatre artistes Karn Singh and Dharamveer Singh are set to perform at the event on Saturday.

NZCC Director Mohd Furqan Khan said, “The initiative is aimed at protecting, preserving and promoting the timeless folk arts and cultural heritage of our country.”