Mumbaikars witness cultural extravaganza at Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav

The ongoing nine-day Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav, a cultural extravaganza organised by the Union Ministry of Culture at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai wherein artists from across India are participating, is drawing a large crowd.

As many as 350 folk and tribal artists from across India along with around 300 local such artists, including some transgender and differently-abled ones, are performing in this festival, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in a release.

The festival, where entry is free for all, was inaugurated by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on February 11, and it will continue till February 19. Around 150 craftsmen from all the states of the country are showcasing their art through craft exhibition-cum-sale for which about 70 stalls were made available, it said.

In addition to this, 25 stalls are being set up for the Maharashtra State Handloom Department and start-ups, while a painting exhibition is also being organised by the artists from the city-based J J School of Arts. Exhibitions on Pandharpur Wari and Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav have also been organised there.

At the Mahotsav, every evening is a treat for visitors as it is lined up with performances by renowned artists from across India who showcase classical, folk, contemporary art forms and beyond, the release said.