Intro: Sanskar Bharati through its 42 regional and 1,500 local units celebrated Indian New Year throughout the country.
The dominance of British calendar in practice has decimated our national calendar into background. The scientific basis of Luni-solar calendar, which is truly Indian at its core and associated with the agrarian society of India, has been celebrated in rural parts of India. It is believed that the universe was created on the same day. This is also the day when Sri Ram was coronated on the throne of Ayodhya. More importantly this is beginning of new agricultural season. Sanskar Bharati, a nationalistic organisation dedicated to the cause of art and culture, gave a new look to these celebrations by making it a festival of all sections, even in the urban areas where new year is associated with January 1st, with Indian fervour. Sanskar Bharati through its 42 regional and 1,500 local units gave a call to celebrate this festival as the festival of progress.
Though the celebrations were held all over the country with local touch, main programme was organised at the Yamuna Bank in Delhi near Wazirabad. This place itself is known as Sur-ghat (Musical Bank). Sanskar Bharati has made it a convention that every year, before the sun rise of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (First Day of the Indian new year) people would get together to welcome the new year. This year thousands of people got together in the midst of Vaidik chants and devotional music to pray the rising sun with offering of holy water.
Many cultural programmes were held as a part of this celebration. Famous poet Gajendra Solanki presented a song welcoming the Vikrami Samvat (Vikram Era was started in 57 BC by Emperor Vikramaditya as a commemoration of his victory upon the Shakas). Duryodhan Pradhan and his troop put everyone in trance with their magical play of Mridangam. Eight year old Shreya Basu presented songs dedicated to the Sun God while Aditi Sharma and Dipti Gupta presented classical vocal and dance respectively. Large number of artists and painters welcomed the New Year by using brush and colours on the canvas.
Former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani was the chief guest on the occasion while national patron of Sanskar Bharati Baba Yogendraji chaired the function.
While addressing the people Shri Advani said that the RSS is working for realising the dreams of Swami Vivekanand. Sanskar Bharati is also working on the same lines through art and culture. I have attended many functions organised by this organisation ranging from folk arts to classical music. But what I have experienced today is unprecedented, Shri Advani said.
Similar programmes were held all over the country in the presence of prominent artists and cultural groups. Fine arts students got together at Assi Ghat in Vanarasi, all cultural organisations came together at Kolkata to welcome the new year, famous flute player Chetan Joshi played devotional music at Mathura,were some of the prominent activities which took place on the occasion . —Bureau Report
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