Almora. As part of the historic Maa Nanda Devi Fair, a spectacular Star Night was organized late Saturday evening at Adams Girls Inter College ground, where a series of cultural performances mesmerized the audience. Popular singers Prakash Kala and Sundar Bafila, despite being visually impaired, created a magical atmosphere with their melodious voices. The crowd swayed to the rhythms of Kumaoni folk tunes and songs until late at night.
The program began with the soulful performance of renowned folk singer Hema Dhyani, who captivated listeners with a range of songs deeply rooted in Kumaoni culture. After her, the much-awaited duo Prakash Kala and Sundar Bafila took the stage, and their popular songs completely transformed the ambiance. The sound of music echoed across Adams ground, keeping the audience hooked till midnight.
On this occasion, chief guests Ravi Rautela, Vineet Bisht, Dharmendra Bisht, and Manoj Joshi honored the artists and praised the event. They remarked that the Nanda Devi Fair is the true soul of Kumaoni culture, a celebration where local traditions, art, and heritage come together each year in a unique way.
This year, the fair saw active participation of many young volunteers and social workers in its management and organization. Fair President Manoj Verma, Secretary Manoj Sanwal, and Chief Cultural Coordinator Tara Joshi shared that special efforts were made this year to give a platform to Kumaoni folk artists so that the younger generation remains connected to their cultural roots.
Key contributors in the organizing committee included Co-coordinator Ravi Goyal, Manager Anoop Sah, Treasurer Harish Bisht, Chief Coordinator Arjun Bisht Cheema, Coordinators Amit Sah Monu, Amarnath Negi, Amarnath Singh Negi, Media In-charge Kapil Malhotra, Councilor Kuldeep Mer, Co-coordinator Abhishek Joshi, Manoj Bhandari ‘Mantu’, Dhan Singh Mehta, Jeevan Nath Verma, Rajendra Bisht, Administrator Harish Bhandari, Hitesh Verma, Jagat Tiwari, Ashish Bisht, Daya Krishna Pargai, Naman Bisht, Pankaj Pargai, Aditya Bisht, and Govind Mehra.
The huge crowd in attendance wholeheartedly encouraged the performers. From the youth to the elderly, everyone was seen immersed in folk music and dance. Visitors and devotees appreciated both the arrangements and the performances.
This cultural evening at Adams ground once again proved that the Nanda Devi Fair is not just a hub of religious faith, but also the largest platform to keep Kumaoni culture and folk heritage alive.
