Lucknow, Nov 29 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government plans to hold a ‘Sanskriti Utsav 2023’ from December 25 to January 26, in an attempt to familiarise the world with the state’s rich cultural heritage and folk art.

Themed 'Uttar Pradesh Parv: Hamari Sanskriti-Hamari Pehchaan', the festival will provide a platform for local artists of the state to showcase their talents and win awards.

In line with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's vision, the Department of Culture in Uttar Pradesh will organise this festival across the state, featuring different layers of contests at tehsil, district, division and state levels primarily based on classical and semi-classical music and dance as well as diverse forms of folk dances and music.

The grandeur of the Sanskriti Utsav 2023’ can be gauged from the fact that the events related to it will be held in every corner of the state.

In the competitions to be held at the tehsil headquarters between December 25 and 30, artists from villages, panchayats, blocks, and tehsils will participate.

Following this, between January 1 and 5, 2024, selected artists at the tehsil level will participate in competitions to be held at district headquarters.

Between January 10 and 15, competitions will be organised at the divisional headquarters, in which artists selected at the district level will participate.

After passing through three more stages, the competition will reach the decisive stage, and the competitions of all three stages will be organised in Lucknow.

Selected artists at the divisional level will have the opportunity to participate in the main event, where they will be honoured.

To make this event successful, large-scale participation will be ensured by involving government and semi-government departments, educational institutions, voluntary organisations, Nehru Yuva Kendra, National Cadet Corps, and social activists at various levels.

The Information and Public Relations Department will also take extensive steps for the publicity of the Utsav.

As part of the event, competitions will be organised in classical singing, including Khayal and Dhrupad, as well as in semi-classical singing, featuring Thumri, Dadra, Chaiti, Chaita, Jhoola, Hora, Tappa.

Instrumental competitions will include flute, shehnai, harmonium, sitar, violin, guitar, sarangi, veena, tabla, pakhawaj, mridangam, and ghatam, along with competitions related to indigenous and folk instruments.

Similarly, dance competitions will include Kathak, Bharat Natyam, Odissi, Mohiniyattam, and other classical dance forms.

Additionally, folk dance competitions will include Dhoobiya, Ahirwa, Karma, Shaila, Domkach, Akheta, as well as competitions in folk drama, including Nautanki, Ramleela, Raslila, Swang, Bhagat, Bahurupiya, Nukkad Natak, and more.

In folk singing, competitions will cover categories such as Kajri, Chaiti, Jhoola, Biraha, Alha, Nirgun, Lokgeet, and Qawwali, and under the category of easy music, competitions will be held for songs, ghazals, bhajans, and patriotic songs.

Recorded music will be accepted for solo and group dances. The victorious artists in the competitions will be honoured with medals, certificates, and mementoes.