Bapu Ki Dilli as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary
New Delhi : Sanatan Sangeet Sanskriti is organizing the 3rd edition of Words in the Garden on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of February 2019 at the India International Centre, New Delhi.
This annual festival, curated by Shri Ashok Vajpeyi, is organised to honour the incredible creativity, imagination and ideas that Delhi, the capital city generates, sustains and embodies.
The festival that was the brainchild of Ashok Vajpeyi who has been closely associated with it since its inception, has so far explored Meer Ki Dilli and Ghalib Ki Dilli.
This year Words in the Garden presents Bapu Ki Dilli as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary and to celebrate the life and ideology of Bapu, the father of our nation through plays, recitals, readings, discussions and much more.
The festival commenced with an event Remembering Bapu held at IILM Lodhi Road, where Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee, the granddaughter of the Mahatma Gandhi spoke to the younger generation about her childhood with Gandhiji, his philosophy and the way forward for the younger generation.
She said, “Your motto in life should be hum honge zimmedar (we shall be responsible) as being a responsible citizen and a human being is imperative.”
The festival which is a free event open to all beginning on February 22nd and continues for three enriching days bringing together some of the most inspiring people from fields of literature, ideas, art, social sciences and other public spheres.
Some of the performing arts highlights of the festival are M.K Raina’s play Stay Yet A While; Readings by Vinod Kumar called Har Qatra Toofan; Poems, Recitals, Acts and Music by Gandhi Ambedkar Circle of St Stephen’s College; Story Telling by Mahmood Farooqui on Gandhiji’s Last Journey and Madhup Mudgal’s Ashram Bhajanavali. There will also be a screening of Shyam Benegal’s movie The Making of the Mahatma.
The festival will have many interesting discussions to explore themes with contemporary relevance inspired by Bapu’s ideologies – Be the change, Nonviolence, Look at the Sparrows, Magnify my Cross and Sustainable Living with notable people from various fields including Sukanya Bharatram, Gandhiji’s great granddaughter. An interesting feature of the festival will be an especially curated lunch by political scientist and culinary expert Pushpesh Pant who will enlighten the guests on Gandhiji’s nutrition philosophy.
The grand finale of the festival is a Gandhi Smriti Walk organized by India City Walks.
Bapu ki Dilli, the third presentation of Words in the Garden is certainly an important cultural event of Delhi to look forward to this spring.
