Birmingham, United Kingdom. The echoes of Uttarakhand’s folk culture, traditions and music were heard across the seven seas in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Under the joint aegis of Shilpa Production and the Uttarakhand Welfare Organisation, a grand cultural programme was organised on 26 October in which Uttarakhand’s famous Jagar Samrat Dr. Pritam Bharatwan, together with his team, created such an atmosphere with the beats of his dhol-damaun that the entire venue was painted in the colours of Uttarakhand’s culture.
More than 800 Uttarakhandi diaspora members enthusiastically took part in this grand event. Dr. Pritam Bharatwan had arrived in Birmingham with his team. The team included Anjali Khare, Surendra, Yogendra and Vivek Nautiyal. All the artists won the hearts of the audience with their outstanding performances.
In the programme, the melodious singing of Anjali Khare and Vivek Nautiyal compelled the audience to sway. Meanwhile, Dr. Pritam Bharatwan’s younger brother Surtam Bharatwan also added further lustre to the entire programme with his singing. The diaspora Uttarakhandis present danced heartily to their songs and felt a deep connection with their culture.
Speaking about the event, Shilpa, Director of Shilpa Production, said that their aim is to keep Uttarakhand’s rich cultural heritage alive abroad and to pass it on to future generations.
She said, “Our effort is to organise such grand Uttarakhandi cultural programmes every year in the UK. It is extremely important to connect not only the Uttarakhandi diaspora living here but also the new generation with their roots, folk songs, folk dances, customs and traditions. We want the new generation born and brought up abroad to also recognise, understand and take pride in Uttarakhand’s culture.”
This programme held in Birmingham not only gave the diaspora Uttarakhandis an opportunity to reconnect with their soil and culture, but also presented a beautiful glimpse of Uttarakhand’s folk arts and traditions on the international stage.
The beats of the dhol-damaun and the jagars that resonated on foreign soil conveyed the message that Uttarakhand’s culture is not limited only to the mountains, but lives on with its identity and heritage in every corner of the world.
