DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
JAMMU, Feb 28
A curtain raiser event was organized by Amar Mahal Museum & Library in the lawns of the Palace, heralding the commencement of the 2nd Edition of the Tawi Festival. Scheduled to take place from March 1st to March 4th, 2024, the festival promises an enriching celebration of arts and ideas.
Addressing media persons, Dr Jyotsna Singh, Director of the Amar Mahal Museum and Library and the Chief Coordinator of the Tawi Festival informed that the Tawi Festival of Arts and Ideas is a celebration of Creativity, Inclusiveness, Tradition and Modernity. The main venue is the Amar Mahal Museum and Library established in 1975 by Dr. Karan Singh and Maharani Yasho Rajya Lakshmi in a 150 year old residential building which is now seen as one of the landmarks of the City of Jammu.
She said that the Tawi Festival is a composite festival which brings together experts and practitioners from different fields and introduces them to audiences in Jammu. Equally it is a platform for local experts and talent.
“The region’s rich diversity of language, culture, architecture and music is yet to be fully appreciated and the festival will play a role in creating an interest locally as well as outside of the region”, she said. Each year the festival seeks to highlight a set of central ideas in environment, education, history, literature and the Arts. There is also a day dedicated to Heritage, to build awareness locally through talks and walks, and to create interest and encourage initiatives by inviting speakers from other parts of India, to share their experiences with similar initiatives, she added.
Dr Jyotsna said Art Camps, immersive workshops and exhibitions are an integral part of the festival.
The artists from the Basohli School supported by the Museum are encouraged to demonstrate and explain their techniques and approach. There is a large community of contemporary artists working in different media and alumni of IMFA who have done extremely well in prestigious Institutions in India and abroad: their work and practice is showcased.
Dr Jyotsna said the festival comprises of Seminars, workshops and talks; performances of folk music and street theatre, classical and folk dance and music; and a Mela, with an emphasis on showcasing entrepreneurship, innovation, and local cuisines, and organic products sourced from women’s NGO groups across the Himalayan region. The last day is being hosted in the University of Jammu. Many senior faculty members across disciplines including Prof Shyam Narain Lal, Prof Suman Jamwal, Prof Deepika Slathia, Prof Parmil Kumar, Dr Suvidha Khanna and Dr Garima Gupta are collaborating in organizing the festival. Sumit Sharma is looking after creatives of the festival.
Among those who were present include Lalit Gupta, eminent historian, Prof Parmil Kumar, HOD Statistics, JU and an avid bird watcher and photographer, Dr Garima Gupta and Dr Pardeep Bali from the Dept of Media Studies, JU and Col (Retd) Sudip Mitra, Secretary of the Hari-Tara Charitable Trust and Addl Director of the Museum and Library.
