Chittorgarh Fort has preserved many stories in its every nook and cranny. Many tales are hidden in every corner. The unparalleled valour of Maharana Sangram Singh, the sacrifice of Panna Dhai, the bravery of Gora Badal, and many stories of Meera Bai's devotion to Lord Krishna are echoing in this holy land. The stories of the brave warriors who laid down their lives for the country during the freedom struggle have also become an inspiration for the Indian independence movement. Chittorgarh Fort is not just a fort, but a centre of boundless energy.
As part of the celebrations of the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence, the Qila aur Kahaniya festival is being organized in a way that will inspire the artists, students, and the public of Chittorgarh and surrounding areas, and they will benefit from it. The activities of this festival will be as follows:
Painting Exhibition
As part of the celebrations for the Amrit Mahotsav, the Western Region Cultural Centre is organizing workshops and activities. An exhibition of selected paintings (artworks) by those artists is also being held, where people can enjoy the creativity of those artists and expand their imagination.
Phad Painting Workshop
Phad painting of Rajasthan is famous worldwide for its colors and storytelling images that spread their charm on the walls of museums, special buildings, temples, and art lovers' homes. In this workshop, experts of this art, Shri Manoj Joshi from Chittorgarh and Shri Chhitar Mal from Rajasmand will share their experiences and teach the nuances of this special painting to young students, artists, and art enthusiasts. They will also create Phad-style paintings based on the stories of the fort. The workshop will run from 28 to 30 April from 9 am to 5 pm, and the selected artworks made during the workshop will be exhibited on the evening of 30 April.
Watercolor Painting Camp
Paintings made with watercolors of historical sites, streets, mountains, rivers, and ghats are truly captivating. Participants from various parts of the country will adorn different locations of the castle with their own watercolor styles. Renowned artist from Udaipur Shri Anurag Mehta will also share the distinctive features of his watercolor paintings with the participants. The camp will run from April 28th to 30th from 9 am to 5 pm. Selected artworks from the camp will be exhibited on the evening of April 30th.
Exhibition of Indian Archaeological Survey by Jodhpur Circle
During the Fort Festival, a special exhibition on the preservation of forts and monuments will be organized by ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) Jodhpur Circle. This exhibition will showcase the state of these historical forts and ancient monuments in the past, the process of their preservation work, and their status. This will create awareness among the public to contribute towards their maintenance. As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, ASI Jodhpur Circle will also showcase short video films and pictures of the programs organized throughout the year.
Heritage Walk
Special experts from ASI, Jodhpur Mandal will provide information about the important places. The heritage walk will start from Kumbha Mahal at 7 am on April 29 and end at the Victory Tower.
Yoga Practice
On Sunday, 30th April at 7 am a specialist will be present to lead and guide people for specialized Yoga sessions.
Photography Competition
Under this competition, professional participants can showcase their camera's magic, and amateur photographers can surprise us with pictures taken from their devices. Visit the center’s website for competition rules.
Evening Cultural Program
On the evening of April 29th, the artists of Kathak dance style from the Faculty of Performing Arts of Maharaja Sayajirao University will present a magnificent performance for classical music enthusiasts, showcasing the talented artists of the country. The program will also include presentations on the story of Meera Bai. The Kishangarh dance group will perform the mesmerizing Ghoomar and Chari dances.
On April 30th, artists from the College of Performing Arts at Maharaja Sayajirao University will present bhajans by Meera. The Udaipur Odissi School's troupe under the direction of the renowned artist Shri Krishnendu Sahaa, will showcase classical Odissi dance performances. The program will also include magnificent dance performances on Meera's bhajans with Mangalacharan, Pallavi, and Abhinay. The famous anchor Dr. Jyoti Joshi from Rajasthan and the country will host the program.