Ekta Nagar, Oct 30 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated ‘Bharat Parv 2026’, an exhibition showcasing traditional crafts and regional cuisines from across the country, and witnessed a grand theatrical adaptation of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s historic novel ‘Anandamath’ in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar.
Staged by the National School of Drama’s Repertory Company against the backdrop of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, the 300-artist production formed a major centrepiece of the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations.
Earlier in the evening, Modi, who is on a two-day visit to his home state, walked through the exhibition, interacting with artisans and craftspersons displaying traditional handlooms, artworks, and regional delicacies from different states and Union Territories.
The events took place on the eve of the 151st birth anniversary of the country’s first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Organised as part of the annual Rashtriya Ekta Diwas events, ‘Bharat Parv 2026’ aims to highlight India’s vast cultural diversity and promote the spirit of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”, a release stated.
The event, which will continue until November 15, features folk performances, regional food stalls, and craft exhibitions displaying handmade goods, traditional artworks, and handlooms passed down through generations to boost tourism around Ekta Nagar.
The Prime Minister arrived at the Dam View Point area amidst thunderous applause from a packed open-air auditorium to watch the play ‘Anand Math’, staged by the National School of Drama (NSD).
The play brought Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s iconic 19th-century novel, ‘Anandamath’, to life through music, digital backgrounds, and dramatic storytelling based on the Sannyasi Rebellion in Bengal. The audience responded enthusiastically with chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”.
The Prime Minister also greeted the fifth-generation relatives of Chattopadhyay who were seated in the front row.
Presented by the NSD Repertory Company, the production was conceived as a tribute to the 150th anniversary of ‘Vande Mataram’, composed by Chattopadhyay in 1875 — seven years before the novel was published.
The play featured a dramatic adaptation by Asif Ali Haider, with dramatisation, music, design, and direction by Rajesh Tripathy, who drew inspiration from the Bhakti movement, Jayadev’s Gitagovinda, and Adi Shankaracharya’s Jagannath Ashtakam.
Rajesh Singh, Chief of Repertory at NSD, handled the scenic design, while light design was done by Gyandev Singh. Choreography was helmed by Padma Shri awardee Shashadhar Acharya, and fight sequences were directed by film action director Abdul Rashid Mehta.
The large-scale production brought together nearly 300 participants, including actors, fine arts practitioners, designers, craftsmen, and folk artists.
As the evening progressed, the lanes of Ekta Nagar city were illuminated as part of Ekta Prakash Parv, a festival of illumination celebrating India’s heritage and progress, which will continue till January 15 next year.
The prime minister witnessed thematic lighting displays and artistic installations created using more than 1.5 crore LED lights.
A 530-metre-long illuminated stretch has been created along Valley of Flowers Road on the theme of “From Ancient India to Modern India”, depicting women’s empowerment, security forces, technological progress, yoga, and an imaginative world for children.
Another attraction is a 180-metre-long Glow Tunnel, themed “Unity in India’s Diversity”, offering a unique walkthrough experience on cultures, architecture, folk dances, handicrafts, and lifestyles with artworks created by artists from different parts of the country.
(PTI News)
