Allahabad Sanskritik Parv 2016, is being organised by Sanchari, between Dec 2 and 4, at North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC) this year. This year the team of Sanchaari is all geared to give the city a blast from the past with a kaleidoscope projecting contemporary images of literature, cinema and culture that has revived the city in some or the other way. Film maker Muzaffar Ali and Mahesh Bhatt, and the renowned Hindi poet, Ashok Chakradhar, will add to the spark. Here’s a report by Sehar, exclusively for Different Truths.
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” ~ Henry Ford
A year-and- a-half back when Sanchaari came into existence it was a dream envisioned by like-minded Allahabadis, who felt their city had lost something really special to the past. We had all gone into our cocoons, comfortable with the dregs of the bygone days.
Living in nostalgia was becoming a bit too much for most of us and that was when we finally thought enough was enough. It was time to change. It had to begin then.
The dream of seeing the change caught on with passion, zeal and the firm belief to begin. In a short span of 18 months, Sanchaari brought to Allahabad a platter full of varied spices carefully picked from our Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb and flavours of our heritage and past.
Be it celebrating our love for Allahabadi guavas, ripe mangoes, Sawan, Kajri, music or listening to nation’s best storyteller, Sanchaari brought to Allahabad the snippets of the past served fresh with the flavours of the present and the future.
With the grand success of the city’s first festival that celebrated both literature and culture, Allahabad Sanskritik Parv 2016, is being organised between Dec 2 and 4, at North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC) this year. This year the team of Sanchaari is all geared to give the city a blast from the past with a kaleidoscope projecting contemporary images of literature, cinema and culture that has revived the city in some or the other way.
A Glimpse of the Three-day Festival
On Dec 2, the very first day begin your morning with the much loved and celebrated film maker Mahesh Bhatt. Take a journey down the memory while we celebrate the lyrical memories of Nirala and Firaq. End the day in the memory of Akbar Allahabadi.
The second day of the festival, Dec 3, will force you to tap your feet to the tunes of our very own Janki Bai, as the panel of speakers discuss her life and timesm with emphasis on Thumri as a genre of classical music. A language of emotions know by few. Spend the evening revelling in the lost art form of storytelling – Dastangoi.
The final day of the event, Dec 4, would be reminiscing the history with a heritage walk around the lost parts of Chowk. While the day ahead has some exciting book launched and spine chilling stories waiting for one at the main venue of the festival. Catch Muzaffar Ali in a candid conversation with Prof Fatmi. End the day on a humurous note with the famous Hindi Poet, Ashok Chakradhar.
Team Sanchaari thanks everyone who has made this event a reality and looks forward to having every Allahabadi, who feel strongly for his or her city.
Allahabadis it’s time we rebuild our city’s past, revisit our heritage and relive our culture, in all its vibrancy, now.
©Sehar Siddiqui
Photos sourced by the author.