This ex-cop is a master at organising Janmashtami fiesta at police lines
Umashankar Singh has been managing celebrations since 1976, roping in police personnel, their families and others to make the event a success
LUCKNOW: The reserve police lines in the city hosts one of the grandest Janmashtami celebrations, attended even by the chief minister and the Governor.
It also draws a crowd of more than 20,000 people, including families of over 350 VVIPs and 2,000 police personnel.
The man behind the elaborate arrangements for this grand affair is Umashankar Singh, who retired as head constable promoted (HCP) from police lines, Lucknow two years ago.
“This time a bigger crowd is expected. I am sure ‘Kanhaji’ will help me manage it all, as I have been doing for the past 42 years,” said Singh, who has been looking after the police lines Janmashtami celebrations since 1976.
“I still remember the day when my seniors asked me if I could manage such a grand function on my own. I consented at once , taking my Kanha’s name,” said Singh while supervising the rehearsals at the police lines that wore an altogether different look on the eve of the festival.
Singh said just like Brajbhoomi, the land where Lord Krishna was born, the police lines too was gearing up to celebrate his birth in a big way.
In the past, Singh has also managed other events like Republic Day and Independence Day programmes.
“Though I managed all the programmes very well, Janmashtami was always close to my heart and I am grateful to my seniors, who asked me to continue my services even after retirement on March 21, 2016,”Singh said.
But managing such a high profile event is a tedious task, so preparations begin almost a month in advance.
“Be it the families of police personnel, their children or others, all team up to make the programme a success,” he said.
All of them play different roles. The families of cops ensure the decoration of the grand Shiv temple at the police lines. “The families and other volunteers also set up the tableaux at the Shiv temple, depicting the entire Krishna leela,” Singh said .
Live performance of children from the reserve police lines, depicting Krishna leela, was another attraction that made the Janmashtami celebrations at the police lines stand out, he said, adding the idea was to do something different each year.
This year, famous artiste Murari Lal Tiwari from Mathura will perform at the celebrations.
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In the 60s, I came to police lines with my father to see Janmashtami celebrations. I find it hard to believe that now I am managing the same programme.
UMASHANKAR SINGH, retired HCP
“We have booked an anchor, a bhajan gayan mandali and other artistes too,” Singh said, adding students of Police Modern School and CMS had also been roped in.
Janmashtami celebration would began at 8pm sharp with students of Police Modern School singing ‘vandana’.
“It would be followed by Mathura ki phoolon ki holi and Kanha group dance, again by the students of Police Modern School. Other programmes include Kanha Barsana Nritya, Kanha-Sudama Milan and Janmasthal tableaux etc,” he added.
Interestingly, Singh has never accepted any reward for this services post retirement. “Bhagwaan ke kaam mein kya inaam lena. I am doing it all for my Kanhaji,” he said.
Singh, who feels honoured to look after the programme, said, “In the 1960s I came to police lines with my father, who too was in police service, to see Janmashtami celebrations. I find it hard to believe that now I am managing the same programme.”