Varanasi:

The 24-hour ‘Panchshatkotsav’ to mark the completion of 501 days of ‘Subah-e-Banaras’, organized by district administration and culture department began before the crack of dawn at Anand Kanan in Assi ghat on Thursday.

The programme began with chanting of vedic mantras and Ganga aarti followed by a vocal recital by Sucharita Gupta. Those who have been working relentlessly to make Subah-e-Banaras were also felicitated on the occasion. This was followed by a painting competition themed around the programme and was clubbed with a folk song performance by Vishnu Yadav. A Sunderkaand paath by Pt. Dharmraj and Kakku was also part of the event.

With the sun beginning to set in the evening, an array of cultural performances began with a musical presentation by school children.

This was followed by the higlight of the evening, a presentation of a band by a ‘robot’ under the supervision of Sandeep Gupta.

Ranjeeta Prajapati presented a Kathak performance which was followed by sitar recital by K G Westman and group. The night-long celebration featuring classical and semi-classical music will end on the first day of the Hindi new year on Friday morning.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Varanasi / TNN / April 08th, 2016