The Mehrauli Monsoon Festival, organised by Delhi Travel and Tourism Development Corporation (DTTDC) in association with the Government of Delhi, begins today.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will inaugurate it at 6:30pm.
Cultural events will be held at three venues in Mehrauli park – Aam Bagh, Jahaaz Mahal and Jharna. Aam Bagh will showcase local and folk-art forms and also host a vibrant mela with stalls serving dishes native to the capital and surrounding states.
The Jahaaz Mahal will host musical concerts, while heritage and ecological walks and painting/sculpting workshops will be held at Jharna.
Through five walks, you can explore the village and its traditional water bodies. These will be conducted by Delhi-based startup Darwesh, Delhi by Foot and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
“Mehrauli is a historically and architecturally rich area. A large number of big and small monuments are scattered all over the park. Through this festival we aim to bring forth the uniqueness of this place,” says DTTDC chief manager Sudhir Sobti.
“We hope we are able to revive the ancient tradition of visiting Mehrauli during the monsoon season,” he adds.
The three-day festival will witness a stellar line-up of artistes, including Kathak exponent Rani Khanam, sufi and ghazal singer Indira Nayak, Bollywood playback singer Javed Ali, Qawwals Qutbi Brothers, Hindustani classical music vocalist Shashwati Mondal and classical singer Kashish Mittal
“Along with the performances, workshops on painting, sculptures and ecology will also be held on each of the days to engage visitors and enable a better understanding of our rich artistic lineage. To facilitate visitors, a free shuttle service is being provided from Chhattarpur Metro Station to the venue and back,” says Sobti.
The oldest of the seven cities, Mehrauli has retained its individual identity through the ages. It is the place where well-known astronomer Varahamihira once lived.
It was a place where members of royal families frequently visited during the monsoon to enjoy its lush green beauty and mango orchards. The greenery still remains, though the patronage it once enjoyed no more exists.