In India, you get to see a beautiful blend of cultures. And our country has a long history of accepting and embracing every culture, ethnic practice and language! One such culture that we have grown fond of is Awadh and its Ganga-Yamuna Tehzeeb. The region of Awadh comprises the northeastern portion of Uttar Pradesh. In the Mughal era, the region gained popularity for architecture, literature, and artistic and literary patronage. And to honour this heritage, the Awadh Mahotsav was organised by the Uttar Pradesh government. With music, food and adaabs of Nawabs, take a look at this splendid five-day festival.
Awadh Mahotsav 2023
The stage was lit on fire and the audience was left spellbound at Awadh Mahotsav.
A great spectacle!#UttarPradesh #AwadhMahotsav2023 #UPNahiDekhaTohIndiaNahiDekha #lucknow #uptourism @jaiveersingh099 @UPGovt @upculturedept @tourismgoi @MukeshMeshram pic.twitter.com/it7BknKsfQ— UP Tourism (@uptourismgov) March 22, 2023
The Awadh Mahotsav 2023 was organised by the state government of Uttar Pradesh from 18th to 22nd March 2023 at the Sangeet Natak Akademi. The festival showcased wonderful performances by artists and celebrated the Awadh culture. There were splendid kathak performances by Neha Singh and Kantika Mishra. And the Sufi bhajan ‘Mere Mursheed Khele Hori’ honoured the Ganga-Yamuna Tehzeeb of Awadh.
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Moreover, Devika S Mangalamukhi, the first transgender Kathak dancer from Agra, gave an outstanding performance. Besides this, there were several Awadhi folk songs performed by Shikha Bhadauriya that offered a soul-soothing experience. Among folk music, Bhajan-Ghazal, Qawwali, Sufi mehfil, Kabir Vani and Kissagoi were prime music styles. And besides Kathak, Karma, Dhediya, Faruvahi, and Rai dance styles were showcased.
A Blend Of Different Cultures!
There is more to Awadh culture than Sufi music! One of the prime attractions of this festival was the Heritage Walk which took you through ancient Awadh and offered a glimpse of the Nawab era and the rich food! There was an exquisite range of Awadhi cuisine that was making its way to the festival.
But why is it called the ‘Ganga-Yamuna Tehzeeb’? Well, it means the syncing of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers and therefore a fusion of the Hindu culture with Muslim culture. And you can see a hint of this fusion in every artistic area like literature, music, painting and so on.
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In fact, this is seen in Awadhi cuisine! From kebabs to kormas, you can see a variety of vegetarian, non-vegetarian and Nawabi food dishes.
Cover Image Courtesy: UP Tourism/ Twitter