Indira Gandhi arts centre celebrates Kalakosa foundation day

New Delhi, July 10

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) marked the foundation day of its Kalakosa division with a vibrant celebration on the occasion of Guru Purnima, honouring India’s rich Guru-Shishya tradition and its enduring knowledge systems.

The foundation day programme was graced by Shashiprabha Kumar, chairperson of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Shimla, as the chief guest, and Gopal Prasad Sharma, former head of the department of Vedas at Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, as the guest of honour. The session was presided over by Sachchidanand Joshi, member secretary, IGNCA.

As part of the celebrations, a special exhibition titled ‘Nabakalebara of Lord Jagannath’ — based on the sacred ritual of the deity’s ceremonial rebirth — was inaugurated. Curated by IGNCA’s division of Greater India and Regional Studies, the exhibition will remain open to the public until July 22.

In her keynote address, Shashiprabha Kumar described festivals such as Guru Purnima as moments of renewal, akin to nodes in a sugarcane stalk where sweetness gathers. “Festivals offer emotional and spiritual rejuvenation and guide us toward growth and excellence,” she said, noting that India has always been a knowledge-centric civilisation. “The true Guru is the one who leads us from untruth to truth, darkness to light and mortality to immortality,” she added.

Gopal Prasad Sharma spoke on the deep significance of Guru Purnima, celebrated also as Vyas Purnima, honouring Bhagavan Vedavyasa. He elaborated on how Indian knowledge is passed through the Guru, distinguishing between the teaching Guru and the initiating Guru (Diksha Guru).