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Srinagar: The last leg of Asia’s biggest theater festival – the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav – began at the Tagore Hall here on Thursday. The festival is organized by National School of Drama (NSD) in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages ​​(JKAACL) with Cluster University, Srinagar as facilitator.
Inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Kashmir, Prof. Farooq Ahmad Shah, the festival will have three shows in as many days highlighting different aspects of Indian culture. Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest, Prof. Shah said that NSD’s effort to culminate the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav in the Kashmir Valley was commendable.
“The valley has a rich theater tradition with several classical plays being written and produced in Kashmir over the centuries,” he said, adding that NSD’s effort to hold the last leg of the festival in Kashmir was commendable.
In his speech, the director of NSD, prof. Ramesh Chandra Gaur said that due to the interest of the people of the valley in theatre, Srinagar has been chosen as the final destination for the culmination of the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav.
“We have a Theater-in-Education Center in Kashmir, a built property whose property we have formally taken over today,” revealed Prof. Gaur, adding that the NSD will soon activate the Center and speed up the activities of TIE and repertoire in the Kashmir Valley.
Giving details, Prof. Gaur said NSD will hold a theater workshop in Srinagar in March and a summer theater festival in May or June this year.
“Then other similar activities would follow for which a separate schedule is devised and announced soon,” he revealed.
Earlier in his welcome speech, Director of Theater in Education (TIE) of NSD, Santanu Bose said that the purpose of holding the drama festival in Srinagar is to introduce the younger generation to the cultural wealth of the country.
Coinciding with the inauguration of the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav in Srinagar, NSD also took possession of the constructed asset from JKAACL for the formal commencement of theater activities in the Kashmir Valley.
Among others, Officer I/c, JKAACL, Dr Farooq Anwaar Mirza also spoke on the occasion. The festival, whose beginning witnessed a large gathering of various segments of the society, will end on February 25.