Vishwarang Touches International Heights

Bhopal: The virtual sessions of the ‘Vishwarang’ International Literature and Art Festival were held in America, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Russia, Ukraine, UAE and other countries on Monday. The sessions commenced with interesting performances, Tabla-Vadan and interviews. It is noteworthy that the Vishwarang Fest that emerged from Central India is now gaining fame in other countries as well. The first session of the day, being addressed by the Netherlands, was presided over by the Director of Gandhi Kendra, Mr Mohan Singh. The session was conducted by Shivangi Shukla.

 Mr Mohan Singh said that the purpose of children's literature was not limited only to entertain but also to enhance the character of the students. Through literature, we can give strength to the growing minds of children so that the spirit of dedication and culture can be instilled in them.

In the first session, Aastha Dixit recited a poem based on her mother, and Alok Pandey narrated a Dutch story about a camel. Harshika Vajpayee and Ravi Srivastava also recited their poems, and Mansi narrated a story she had written. Sevantika, along with the children, who played different characters, narrated the stories of Panchatantra. The second session saw the timeline of developing Indian culture, along with one-of-a-kind performances given by talented artists from the Netherlands. Saumya Shukla, a famous dancer, gave a beautiful Kathak performance which held the audience spellbound. Angel Aruna presented her song. Every performance painted a picture of the country and its connection with its heritage.

 The third session portrayed an introduction of the Netherlands, featuring the beautiful cities of the country. Eminent netizens like Dr Mansi, Jayata Dutta, and Santosh Kumar magnificently described the features of their cities, Almere and Delft. The fourth session was held on ‘Global Legacy of Sanskrit’. A discussion on the importance, quality, and relevance of the Sanskrit language was carried out. Jeffrey Armstrong gave his speech in the Sanskrit language.

 Vishwarang in the USA, New Zealand

 A series of enthralling dance performances were held in the next session, ‘Indian Classical Art in the USA," which was broadcast from the United States of America.

Sargam Group, EWS Dance Group, Parampara Group, and Saumya Devi gave a delightful Kathak dance performance. Ras Garba illustrated the Rasleela through another Kathak dance performance, while Urvashi and Hina gave a ‘Tandav’ dance performance. A harmonious Tabla-Vadan performance was given by Pooran towards the end of this session.

In the sessions culminating in New Zealand, Rohit Kumar Happy interviewed cultural expert Dr Pushpa Bhardwaj Wood. Dr Bhardwaj focused on the role of parents in instilling language values in their children. She said that the level of affinity parents have towards a language decides their children's interest in the same. She also said that in New Zealand, nearly 250-300 students are currently researching the Hindi language.

In the second session from New Zealand, Rohit Kumar Happy interviewed musician Vasant Madhur from the Sargam School of Music.

Hailing from Himachal Pradesh, Vasant said that foreign students show more interest in Indian music and are actively involved in its research. According to him, Pt Ravishankar and Zakir Hussain are the reasons Indian music gained popularity among foreigners. He further said that many of his students have taken inspiration from these two music maestros.

An interview with many famous Australian personalities was taken.

In the sessions that concluded on Monday, the audience got a chance to listen to celebrities like Mala Mehta, Anuj and Svechha, and Soma Nair. In the session broadcast from Trinidad, Toshani and Janani Nath gave beautiful performances.