Lucknow sidelined as Gorakhpur takes centrestage

◗ With the Yogi govt firmly in power, the biggest cultural festival in the state — annual Lucknow Mahotsav — has been shortened and shifted

Changing political equations have begun to cast a shadow on the cultural events in Uttar Pradesh.

With the Yogi Adityanath government firmly in power, the biggest cultural festival in the state — annual Lucknow Mahotsav — has been shortened and shifted while it is the Gorakhpur Mahotsav that will grab the headlines this year.

Gorakhpur is the home district of chief minister Yogi Adityanath who wants to develop it at par with other A- class cities in the state.

The Lucknow Mahotsav that began in 1977, has been showcasing the various aspects of Avadh culture and has emerged as a much- awaited event with visitors from adjoining districts participating in it.

Craftsmen from various parts of the country arrive to sell their wares at the Mahotsav and top Bollywood artists give their performances.

The Lucknow Mahotsav is annually held from November 25 to December 5 and often gets extended on popular demand.

In 2017, however, the Lucknow Mahotsav was postponed, ostensibly due to the municipal elections.

It will now be held from January 24 and the duration will be only for six days. The Lucknow Mahotsav will be a part of the Uttar Pradesh Diwas which is being held for the first time on the initiative of governor Ram Naik.

The venue has also been shifted from the sprawling Ramabai Ambedkar ground to the comparatively smaller Avadh Shilp Gram.

Lucknow district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said that traditional theme of the Lucknow Mahotsav which was the “Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb” has been changed to “Laxman- puri se Lucknow Tak”.

Laxmanpuri, incidentally, is the believed to be the original name of Lucknow since the city was founded by Lord Laxman.

Meanwhile, the Yogi Adityanath government has planned to hold a Gorakhpur Mahotsav on a mega scale in Gorakhpur from January 11 to 13.

The Gorakhpur Mahotsav will include children’s festival, inter- school competitions and song and dance performances. Artists from various fields will perform at the festival that is being touted as the biggest ever in Purvanchal region.