Restoring lost glory of Punjab’s culture

Loveleen Bains

Doraha, March 28

The Youth Services Department of Punjab Government seems to have gone all out to revive and preserve the rich but vanishing cultural heritage of Punjab.

A total of 22 districts participated in the recently concluded State level Youth Festival, conducted by the Department, in which a variety of competitions, representing Punjab’s rich heritage, were arranged in Chandigarh.

Competitions such as embroidery, pakhi designing, nala making, peehri making and stage items as gidha, bhangra, vaar, kali , kavishri, folk songs etc formed a part of the festival.

The festival was organised with the motive of apprising the youth of the rich culture and develop a sense of belongingness in them.

Hirdaipal Kaur, Director, Youth Services Department, Punjab feels, “It is very important to tell and show youngsters what we as Punjabis originally stand for. The students, who have never known the richness of our proud culture, should get acquainted with it.”

State Liasion Officer Charanjit Singh informed, “The festival was organised in order to relate the modern day youth to their roots and to bring in a true cultural rejuvenation in them. They should understand what our state stands for and how have the people of this state ever been attached to their cultural roots. The younger generation is completely oblivious of its roots.”

Dr Kamaljit Singh, Deputy Director, Youth Services, appreciated the participating students and said that the colleges and the contestants have made good efforts, expecting that more and more institutes should come forward to educate the youngsters and make them aware.

“It is really wonderful that the Youth Welfare Department has given a plethora of such items of which we had heard of from our grandparents but never had the opportunity to handle them on our own,” shared Sukhdeep Kaur, a student of Guru Nanak National College, Doraha who secured second position in peehri making competition.

“Ludhiana district has won in a number of items in this competition. Apart from Sukhdeep of the GNN College, Balram of Arya College, Ludhiana, secured second position in monoacting. The giddha of Khalsa College for Women Civil Lines was declared second. The Phulkari of Khalsa College Sidhwan Khurd was declared on the first place,” informed Malkit Singh Mann, Assistant Director, Youth Services Department at Ludhiana.