Concluding the three-day celebration of 'Virasat-e-Mehrauli' on a melodic and vibrant note, 'Mehrauli Monsoon Festival' witnessed the mesmerising performance of renowned Bollywood composer and singer Javed Ali.
Delhiites actively participated in the heritage and ecological walks as well as the art and sculpting workshops during the day. The festival saw performances by renowned artists such as qutbi brothers, Kashish Mittal, Rani Khanam & group, Shaswati Mandol, and Indira and Sanket Nayek over the past three days.
The first of its kind festival, came to an end but has successfully ignited a curiosity in visitors about Mehrauli and its heritage, while the residents have found newer reasons to be proud and protective of the heritage that surrounds them.
Starting early on a pleasant morning with a walk on traditional water bodies of Mehrauli led by historian Sohail Hashmi, saw a large group of people in attendance. "Many opted to attend the other walks as well in order to further explore the different aspects of Mehrauli. Kids across ages, thronged to the fountain to make the best of the last day of the Art & Sculpting workshops," he said.
S P Singh, a resident of Lado Sarai, stated, "I have been actively reading and working about Mehrauli's monuments since the early 1970s. The way this area and the venues have been prepared; the cultural programmes organised gives a lot of boost to Mehrauli. Where once I could barely sit, I now wish to spend more time in Jharna."
Maan Sigh Dagar, another visitor said "I am visiting this place after five decades, and I am immensely happy to see the initiatives taken to emphasize on Mehrauli. As an artist and teacher, myself, it eases me to see that the younger generations are getting to experience and learn about art, culture and heritage."
The evening heritage walk around Mehrauli village was led by Dr Swapna Liddle, Convener-INTACH Delhi Chapter, which brought to light the context of how Delhi's oldest city had come to be what it is today. Over the past three days, over 150 people have attended the walks, over 200 people per day, have attended the workshops on art and sculpting with an overall footfall of over 20,000 people has been noted during the festival
On Saturday, an evening programme comprised of an awe-inspiring line up of renowned classical music artists like Kashish Mittal and Shaswati Mandol at Jahaz Mahal. Continuing the series of enthralling performances, the evening was concluded with a foot tapping set of Fusion Music performed by the prolific duo of Indira Nayek and Sanket Nayek.
Visitors across age groups participated in the painting and sculpting workshops, keen to explore their artistic side. The art exhibition curated by Kishore Labar, gathered huge appreciation as it depicted a unique side of the city. Spell-binding performances by local artists, Puppet shows, stalls and games for children made Aam Bagh a fun filled affair for the visitors. The festival was inaugurated on Friday by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
