Youth soak in Haryanvi spirit at Ratnawali

With participants dressed up in traditional attire, showcasing their potential and the state’s rich cultural tapestry, Kurukshetra University campus remained abuzz with activities on the third day of the four-day state-level Ratnawali festival on Thursday.

Gurugram University Vice-Chancellor Sanjay Kaushik lauded the festival for providing a powerful platform that enabled every student to move forward and showcase their potential. He said the celebration offered young minds the freedom to explore, express, and excel — an opportunity that Kurukshetra University had so thoughtfully created through the vibrant cultural initiative. He praised the university for creating opportunities that fostered self-reliance and confidence among students, and for its commendable efforts to preserve and promote the Haryanvi language and regional culture through the Ratnawali Festival.

A ‘Media Chaupal’ received a spirited response, serving as a treasure trove of authentic knowledge about Haryana’s folk culture — from humour and folk history to contemporary cultural expressions — for youngsters, directly from the source. Various folk artistes, poets, comedians, and cultural experts joined live podcast sessions.

“We had not imagined that this idea would gain such momentum. Youngsters are enjoying it to the fullest. The kind of live and varied content they are getting here simply cannot be replaced by any other medium,” said KU Director (Public Relations) Maha Singh Poonia.

“This is not a one-dimensional medium. It cannot be labelled purely as entertainment or serious discourse — it carries many shades of expression. Our aim was not merely to entertain youngsters, but to platform the traditional wisdom of Haryana, which helps shape them into more mature and culturally rooted individuals. We are glad to see that the youth enjoyed it wholeheartedly,” he added.

A live podcast session with folk artiste Jogender Nath, who has worked in several films including ‘Dada Lakhmi’, was an instant hit among the youth, as he shared behind-the-scenes insights and folk anecdotes.

‘The Saraswati River Gatha’, a book authored by AR Chaudhri, Director, Centre of Excellence for Research on the Saraswati River (CERSR), Kurukshetra University, was released by Bharat Bhushan Bharti, OSD to the Chief Minister. Kurukshetra University Vice-Chancellor Som Nath Sachdeva and Kurukshetra NIT Director BV Ramana Reddy were among the attendees of the event.

Chaudhri said the book represented a comprehensive multidisciplinary research effort encompassing Indology, geology, remote sensing, archaeology, climate change, environment, groundwater, hydrology, flood management, and the civilizational, cultural, and heritage dimensions of the Saraswati.