In a grand celebration of Ayodhya’s rich cultural tapestry, the Ayodhya Mahotsav is set to captivate the city with its vibrant themes and spectacular events. Organised by the Ayodhya Mahotsav Foundation, the festival will take palce from December 24, 2023 to January 10, 2024, marking the 15th edition of this spectacular event, aptly named “Ram Ji Viraje More Avadh Nagariya – Ayodhya Mahotsav Forever.”
The festival promises to showcase the grandeur of the proposed Ram Mandir, with an exquisite model on display. Alongside this, a significant step towards Ayodhya’s development will take place with the construction of a sprawling art and culture complex. This complex will house an art village and a cultural center, embodying Ayodhya’s commitment to fostering the arts and preserving its rich cultural heritage.
Harish Srivastava, the organiser of Ayodhya Mahotsav, shared that the festival is a confluence of diverse traditions, local arts, and cultural heritage. The event will feature a myriad of programmes, including classical music performances, folk dances, Bhojpuri singing sensation Veerendra Bharti in the Lok Award Show, and a soul-stirring Bhajan performance by Shahnaz Akhtar in the Dandiya Night. The festival will also include a Gazal evening with Kumar Satyam, a Lok Geet performance by Sanjoli Pandey in the evening of Avadh, and a glamorous fashion night with the participation of Femina Miss World Nandini Gupta.
A plethora of artists will grace the festival, including Arpan Malik, Vivek Pandey, Vijay Yadav, Nisha Singh, Banku Sister, Sandeep Chaturvedi, Divya Maurya, Mohit Sai, Angad Ram Ojha, Chintu Sagar, Prakriti Yadav, Rajesh Gaur, Riju Raj, Mukesh Singh, Munna Sahara, Aradhya Gautam, Anurag Pandit, Rajesh Yadav, and Gayatri Yadav. The festival will also feature a Hasya Kala Kumbh with renowned humorists Sardar Pratap Faujdar, Shashikant Yadav, Kamlesh Sharma, Hemant Pandey, Swamy Srivastava, Sakshi Srivastava, and Arun Dwivedi.
Special recognitions in the form of the Ayodhya Ratna will be conferred upon distinguished individuals. Events like Ayodhya Idol, Ayodhya India Classic, Men’s Physique and Bodybuilding, Mr. and Mrs. Culture India, Lok Award Show for Art and Sports, Durduriya Pujan, Kanya Pujan, and Ayodhya Ratna distribution will be integral parts of the festival. A poetry confluence and a media dialogue session with Mahotsav Foundation Chairman Harish Kumar Srivastava, Chief Coordinator Ved Prakash Gupta, Ayodhya MLA Ramchandra Yadav, Bikapur MLA Amit Singh Chauhan, and Bikapur MLA Rohit Singh will also be organised.
Emphasising the significance of Ayodhya Mahotsav, Ved Prakash Gupta, Chief Coordinator of the Foundation, highlighted the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ayodhya to inaugurate the grand Ram Mandir. The theme of this year’s Mahotsav, “Ram Ji Viraje More Avadh Nagariya,” resonates with the anticipation and excitement surrounding the historical event.
The Ayodhya Mahotsav Foundation, under the leadership of its Chairman, Harish Kumar Srivastava, is leaving no stone unturned to make the upcoming edition a truly memorable and culturally enriching experience. The festival is expected to play a pivotal role in Ayodhya’s transformation, setting the stage for a future that embraces both tradition and progress. As the nation eagerly awaits the historic moment of Prime Minister Modi laying the foundation of the Ram Mandir, Ayodhya Mahotsav stands as a testament to the city’s cultural vibrancy and its journey towards a brighter future.
