The ongoing Mahakumbh Mela is set to witness a grand cultural extravaganza from January 16 to February 24. Aptly titled “Sanskriti ka Mahakumbh” (Cultural Mahakumbh), the event will showcase the rich tapestry of Indian culture through a series of captivating performances by renowned artists.

The main stage, Ganga Pandal, will host performances by renowned artists from across the country, including a special presentation by Shankar Mahadevan on the opening day.

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Cultural programmes will also begin at the Yamuna and Saraswati Pandals on January 16 while the Triveni Pandal will host a blend of cultural melodies starting January 21.

On January 16, Bollywood singer Shankar Mahadevan will regale audiences at the Ganga Pandal while students from Kashi’s Sanskrit schools will offer their devotion through Mangalacharan at the Yamuna Pandal. The Saraswati Pandal will showcase the traditional art of Nautanki, with Padma Shri Ramdayal Sharma and his 30-member team presenting the story of Lord Krishna’s friendship with Sudama.

The Ganga Pandal, with a capacity of 10,000 spectators, will be the main venue for this celebration of devotion and heritage. Located at Sector-1 Parade Ground, it will be the hub for grand performances by India’s eminent artistes. In addition, Triveni, Yamuna, and Saraswati Pandals, each with a capacity of 2,000, will host a variety of performances by renowned artists from Uttar Pradesh and across the nation.

Main events on January 16:

Ganga Pandal:

– Prof. Ritwik Sanyal (Varanasi) – Classical/Light Classical Singing

– Vichtrananda Sween (Bhubaneswar) – Odissi Dance

– Kushal Das (Kolkata) – Sitar

– Shankar Mahadevan (Mumbai) & Ravi Shankar (Uttar Pradesh) – Bhajans/Light Music

Yamuna Pandal:

– Children from Sanskrit Schools, Varanasi – Mangalacharan (Devotional Offering)

– Sanya Patankar (Rajasthan) – Classical Singing

– Sahiram Pandey (Gonda) – Alha Singing (Traditional Ballads)

– Sarita Mishra (Lucknow) – Folk Singing

– Ramprasad (Prayagraj) – Birha Singing (Traditional Folk Songs)

– Piyusha Kailash Anuj (Delhi) – Bhajans

– Arushi Mudgal (Delhi) – Odissi Dance

– Amarjeet (Sonbhadra) – Tribal Folk Dance

Saraswati Pandal:

– Saurabh Banodha (Sonbhadra) – Bamboo Musical Instruments

– Shweta Dubey (Varanasi) – Bhajan Singing

– Shruti Malviya (Lucknow) – Bhajans/Folk Singing

– Padma Shri Ramdayal Sharma (Delhi) – Krishna-Sudama Nautanki.