The festival aims to promote national integration and cultural exchange by bringing together the vibrant folk and traditional art forms of South-Central India and the North-Eastern region
Biswadeep Gupta
Guwahati : North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur and South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC), Nagpur, under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in collaboration with the District Administration, Namsai and the Department of Art & Culture, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, will organize the “Bharat Ko Jano & Border Area Programme and Madhya Dakshini Festival 2026” tomorrow, 2nd March 2026, at 5:00 PM onwards at the Namsai Multipurpose Cultural Hall, Arunachal Pradesh.
The festival aims to promote national integration and cultural exchange by bringing together the vibrant folk and traditional art forms of South-Central India and the North-Eastern region. Organised under the “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” initiative, the event aims to highlight India’s rich cultural diversity while strengthening cultural outreach in border areas.
The festival will be hosted by Dr. Prashanna Gogoi, Director, NEZCC, Dimapur and recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, whose distinguished contribution to Northeastern performing arts has been widely recognised at the international level.
The programme will commence with the Lighting of the Ceremonial Lamp and a welcome address by Chow Milingta Namchoom, District Art & Culture Officer (DACO), Namsai. The festival will be graced by Sujana Namchoom, Zila Parishad Chairperson, Namsai, as the Chief Guest, along with C.R. Khampa, Deputy Commissioner, Namsai, Prof. Ajeya Jha, Vice-Chancellor, Arunachal University of Studies and other distinguished dignitaries.
A key highlight of the evening will be the choreographic cultural presentation “Kala Sangini” – a confluence of dance traditions of South-Central India with live music, curated by Astha M. Karlekar, Director, SCZCC, Nagpur. The presentation will feature folk, traditional & tribal art forms from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh performed by acclaimed cultural troupes.
The festival will also showcase the rich indigenous cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh through performances by the Tai Khamti, Singpho and Adi tribes.
