Mithila Sanskritik Parishad to Hold Two-Day Cultural Fest in Bistupur

Gopal Maidan Event on March 14-15 to Draw 10,000 from Kolhan Region

Key Points:

• Two-day Maithili cultural fest at Gopal Maidan, Bistupur on March 14-15
• Twenty persons to receive Mithila Gaurav and Mithila Pratibha Samman
• Free bus service arranged from Bagbera, Adityapur, Gamharia and other areas

JAMSHEDPUR — The Mithila Sanskritik Parishad is set to hold a two-day cultural celebration at Gopal Maidan in Bistupur on March 14 and 15, with thousands of Maithil families expected to attend from across the Kolhan division.

Mithila Sanskritik Parishad president Mohan Thakur said the event would begin each evening at 5 pm. He said around 10,000 Maithili-speaking people from across Kolhan were expected to gather at Gopal Maidan, Bistupur.

On the first day, Jamshedpur Lok Sabha member Bidyut Baran Mahato and Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy are among the guests invited. Social workers Vikas Singh and Amarpreet Singh Kale will also be present.

Twenty individuals who have excelled in different fields will be honoured with the Mithila Gaurav Samman and Mithila Pratibha Samman at the event. The awards will be presented from the main stage.

Stalls featuring books by celebrated Maithili literary figures will be set up at the venue. Works by poets and authors such as Maithil Kokil Mahakaavi Vidyapati, Lal Das, Chanda Jha, Harimohan Jha, Govind Das, Jyotiswhar Thakur, Subhash Chandra Yadav and Manmohan Jha will be available for visitors.

Meanwhile, a dedicated food fair called Anand Mela will be organised by the Mithilani Group. Traditional Mithila cuisine, including fish and rice, will be prominently featured. The fair aims to give Mithilanchal residents a taste of their home flavours.

Stalls showcasing Mithila’s traditional handicrafts and Mithila paintings will also be set up. Items on display will include sikki-crafted objects, painted garments, paag, shawls, sarees, dhotis and gamchhas. Visitors can purchase these to keep their cultural traditions alive.

On the cultural front, noted Maithili singers Kunj Bihari Mishra, Vikas Jha and Juli Jha have been invited to perform. Renowned Mithila announcer Ramsewak Thakur will also be part of the programme. Besides, local artists including Pankaj Jha, Mithlesh Mishra, Divya Ratna, Kiran Jha and Shankar Nath Jha will perform on both days.

Devotional dance performances dedicated to Goddess Bhagwati and Bhagwati Vandana recitals will also be presented by artists. The cultural programme is designed to promote Maithili traditions, folk music, language and literature.

Preparations for the event began two months in advance. On March 12, a promotional chariot was flagged off from Gopal Maidan. It has been moving through various parts of Jamshedpur to publicise the event.

To ensure smooth attendance, the Parishad has arranged free bus services from several areas. Residents of Govindpur, Jemco, Mohrda, Baridih Basti, Bagbera, Adityapur and Gamharia will benefit from the free transport facility.

Multiple committees have been formed to manage the event efficiently. These include a pandal construction committee, a welcome committee, a stage management committee, an artists management committee, a stall committee, a publicity committee, an Anand Mela committee, a food arrangement committee, a press committee, a traffic and parking committee and an electricity and water management committee.

The event’s organising team includes Parishad president Mohan Thakur, general secretary Dharmesh Kumar Jha, treasurer Ranjit Jha, assistant general secretary Rajendra Kumar Karn, Shivchandra Jha, Akhilesh Jha and vice-presidents Kailash Jha and Pankaj Kumar Rai. Joint secretary Pandit Vipin Jha, Gopal Ji Chaudhary and Gopal Chandra Jha are also among the key members.

Press spokesperson Rajesh Jha Sidhgora along with Rajendra Kumar Karn, Pramod Kumar Jha, Pandit Vipin Jha and Somnath Mishra briefed the press about the two-day programme at a press conference held on March 13.

The Mithila Sanskritik Parishad has previously organised several cultural and social events in Jamshedpur. Past programmes have included blood donation camps and religious celebrations drawing large Maithili-speaking gatherings.