LOK TARANG, the National Folk Dance Festival of India, will be held in New Delhi from January 23 to 28, 2009. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the seven Zonal Cultural Centres, LOK TARANG features folk music and dances from all parts of India. This year the inaugural programme of this Festival will be held at Siri Fort Auditorium on January 23.

The objective of organising this festival is to showcase the rich cultural heritage of our country represented through folk dances. Lok Tarang will provide a unique opportunity for people to witness colourful, vibrant and authentic folk dances drawn from various parts of the country and will go a long way in showcasing and promoting Indian folk dances as part of Indian art and culture.

This year’s performers will include:

Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC)

Bordoishikla (Assam), Raibenshe (West Bengal ), Seraikela Chhau (Jharkhand), Dhol Cholam (Manipur), Paika (Jharkhand) and Ghoomra (Orissa)

North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC)

Pai Danda (Uttar Pradesh ), Dhedia (Uttar Pradesh), Thadiya Chaufla (Uttarakhand), Jhijhiya (Bihar) and Saila (Madhya Pradesh).

North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC)

Erap (Arunachal Pradesh), Lai-Haraoba (Manipur), Wangala (Meghalaya), Cheraw (Mizoram), Roina (Nagaland), Tamang Selo (Sikkim) and Sangria-Mog (Tripura)

North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC)

Bhangra (Punjab), Phag (Haryana), Jabro (Jammu & Kashmir), Kud (Jammu & Kashmir) and Kullu Nati (Himachal Pradesh).

South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC)

Gorwara Kunitha (Karnataka), Songi Mukhawate (Maharashtra), Badhai Nritya (Madhya Pradesh), Chhattisgarhi Karma (Chhattisgarh), Kaksar (Chhattisgarh) and Dappulu (Andhra Pradesh).

South Zone Centural Centre (SZCC)

Garadi (Pondicherry), Theyyam (Kerala), Bessu Kamsale (Karnataka), Nicobarese (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) and Karagam (Tamil Nadu).

West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC)

Chakri (Rajasthan), Chari (Rajasthan), Mer Raas (Gujarat), Mewasi (Gujarat), Banjara (Maharashtra) and Tarangmel (Goa).

National Folk Dance Festival, Lok Tarang, will feature a diverse programme that includes more than 700 artistes from 28 States and Union Territories. India’s rich cultural heritage will be presented through 40 folk dances styles. The Festival is a part of the Republic Day celebrations and is organised every year by the Ministry of Culture and the seven Zonal Cultural Centres. Entry to the event is free for the public.

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Notes to the Editor:

Photographs and brief description of each of the above listed dance groups/forms are available with us.