Sights and sounds of rural Punjab come alive at Virasat Mela

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 27

Folk orchestra, folk music and boliyaan remained the highlights on the second day of the Virasat Mela. The mela, being organised at Jaipalgarh village, adjacent to the Multipurpose Sports Stadium, also registered a huge turnout of visitors.

The mood was upbeat with the public enjoying themselves at the festive celebrations.

Basking in the bright sunshine, the visitors posed for pictures with the artistes and participants. The ‘Bhoonda Wala Baba’, supported by an artiste performing ‘kalbeliya’ dance, attracted a large crowd.

The entire village was decorated beautifully, celebrating rural Punjab, complete with the village well, chakkis, chattis, madhanis and phulkaris.

Punjabi girls attired in purely traditional and fabulous outfits such as suits and lehangas, and wrapped in phulkaris and ornaments, ‘tikka’, ‘kalira’, ‘churha’ and glittering bangles, enriched the entire village decorated in the hues of rural Punjab.

“We are feeling great and had tried all possible means to uphold the Punjabi culture so that it did not die and its popularity spreads worldwide. The next generation is forgetting tradition and customs which are exquisitely displayed in the fleeting homes,” said one of the participants.

The day belonged to young girls as they enthralled the audience with their close connection to the Punjabi culture. Even NGO smile for the first time, also puts up its stall to sell hand made stuff and it also received good response.

Speaking on the occasion, HS Khalsa, founder-president, Malwa Heritage Foundation, stressed upon the need for celebrating festivals associated with Punjabi culture to keep the rich traditions of the state alive and ensure its continuity.