The monthly cultural symposium held at Sanskar Bharati’s central office, Kala Sankul, has blossomed into a vibrant celebration of Indian art and heritage, where the essence of tradition comes alive in its most graceful form. This month’s gathering was made truly special by the presence of the Chief Guest, Padma Shri Smt. Nalini-Kamalini, the renowned Kathak duo, whose distinguished contribution to Indian classical dance brought gravitas and inspiration to the evening.

The program began with the auspicious lighting of the ceremonial lamp, symbolizing the light of knowledge and culture. The ceremony was conducted by Padma Shri Shrimati Nalini-Kamalini, Sh. Vijay Kumar (Regional Organizational Secretary, Sanskar Bharati), Sh. Ashok Tiwari (President, Kala Sankul), Smt. Shruti Sinha, and Sh. Raj Upadhyay (Coordinator, Performing Arts, Delhi Region).

The cultural performances commenced with a mesmerizing Kathak recital by Ms. Anjali Munjal, who beautifully portrayed the depth of classical dance through an elegant blend of laya, taal, and expressive bhaav. She was followed by Ms. Damini Bisht, whose powerful Kathak performance, enriched with emotive expressions and rhythmic finesse, captivated the audience.

The evening reached a deeper resonance when the Chief Guest, Padma Shri Shrimati Nalini-Kamalini, took to the stage to address the gathering. Kamalini ji shared,

“Art is not merely an expression—it is the beauty of the soul, shaped by years of devotion and discipline. It refines the individual and uplifts society.”

She emphasized the value of consistency, purity, and dedication in artistic practice, highlighting art’s transformative power as a tool for national development.

“In today’s world,” she said, “art awakens inner consciousness, fosters social unity, and becomes a powerful medium for cultural resurgence.”

The symposium was gracefully anchored by Garima Rani and Shri Vishwadeep, who maintained a seamless flow and upheld the dignity of the evening. The event was enriched by the presence of many eminent personalities from the cultural sphere, including Sh. Pradeep Mohanty (Registrar, National School of Drama), Kathak Guru Subhash Ji, Chhau exponent Sapan Acharya Ji, renowned Kathak artist Anu Sinha, Deepali Sinha, and the duo Vikash-Aparna, among others.

The success of the event was the result of sincere efforts by a committed team of volunteers: Shraboni Saha, Sneha Mukherjee, Sakshi Sharma, Bharti Dang, Priyanka, Nandini, Aanchal, Ayushi, Sakshi, Tarushi, Senior Theatre Artist Shyam Kumar, Kuldeep Sharma, O.P.Sagar, Saurabh Tripathi, Raman, Harshit, Digvijay Pandey, Brijesh, Shivam, Satyam, and Mrityunjay—whose dedication brought vitality to the entire celebration.

Toward the end, Smt. Shruti Sinha delivered a heartfelt vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all artists, dignitaries, and organizers. The symposium concluded with the collective chanting of the Shanti Mantra, a sacred moment that left an everlasting impression of the divinity and elegance of Indian art and culture in the hearts of all present.

The monthly seminar organized at Sanskar Bharti’s central office ‘Kala Sankul’ in New Delhi proved to be a memorable occasion for art and culture lovers. In this year’s event, renowned theatre artist and Sangeet Natak Academy Award winner Shri Lokendra Trivedi presented his views on the topic “Our rich theatre-music tradition woven in folk theatre and its use in the present times”.

The programe began with lighting of lamps and the motto song of Sanskar Bharti. On this occasion, along with the team of Sanskar Bharti, many senior litterateurs, theatre artists and artists of the city were present. Prominent guests included former Secretary of Hindi Academy, Delhi, Hari Suman Bisht, senior theatre artist J.P. Singh, Nisha Trivedi, renowned Chhau Guru Sapan Acharya, Suresh Shetty, Vashisht Upadhyay, Bhupesh Joshi and many other eminent names.

Lokendra Trivedi’s lecture organized in the monthly seminar of Sanskar Bharati was an excellent effort to highlight the depth of Indian folk theatre tradition and its rich cultural heritage. Trivedi discussed his topic “Our rich theatre-music tradition woven in folk theatre and its use in present times” in a very simple, effective and factual manner.

His lecture style not only brought forth the features of folk theatre like Nautanki, Yakshagana, Bhavai, Tamasha, but also explained the relevance of these genres in the perspective of the new age. He stressed the need to preserve these ancient genres in the technological age and explained how connecting the new generation to them is the need of the hour.

The most notable part of the programme was that he raised the issue of making the collection of folk theatre available to the general public at the government and non-government level. This suggestion can be an important step towards preserving the Indian cultural heritage and taking it to new heights.

The Q&A session in the seminar made the dialogue between the audience and the lecturer more effective. The management, conduct and participation of the program show that Sanskar Bharti is not only a pioneer in the promotion of Indian art and culture, but is also active in connecting it with the new generation.

The seminar was conducted very effectively by Garima Rani. The contribution of “Kala Sankul” arrangements in-charge Mr. Digvijay Pandey, coordinator of the dance music seminar Shruti Sinha, co-convenor Vishwadeep, guide senior theatre artist Shyam Kumar and Raj Upadhyay was especially commendable in the success of the program. Apart from this, Harshit, Brajesh, Vijendra, Satyam and Shivam also played an important role in making the event successful.

In the end, the theatre seminar coordinator Mr. Kuldeep Sharma presented the vote of thanks. This event proved to be inspirational and informative for Indian folk art and theatre lovers. Such initiatives will definitely help in preserving and enriching our cultural heritage.