- The Mahakavi Surdas Jayanti Mahotsav Concludes with Spectacular Performances and Artistic Showcases
2023.04.27 (Vrindavan Today News): The Mahakavi Surdas Jayanti Mahotsav came to a close after a two-day event that featured a variety of artistic performances, including the Surdas Charitra Natya Manchan. The event was organized by the Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad and Tourism Department and took place at the open-air theater of Sur Sadhna Sthali Parasauli in Govardhan.
Several organizations participated in the festival, including the Geeta Shodh Sansthan and Rasleela Academy Vrindavan, the Sur Shyam Seva Sansthan, and the Pushtimargiya Shri Krishna Leela Sansthan Trust Vrindavan.
Under the direction of Swami Ved Prakash Bhardwaj, the artists of the Pushtimargiya Shri Krishna Leela Sansthan Trust Vrindavan staged the Surdas Charitra drama. The play effectively portrayed Surdas’ spiritual journey from his early life to his later years. Notably, Sitaram Bhardwaj played the childhood role of Surdas, while Jai Gopal Bhardwaj played the role of old Surdas.
The performance also featured Gyan Bhardwaj as Shrinathji, Ghanshyam Bhardwaj as Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya, Vedram Bhardwaj as Vaishnav, and Govind as Akbar. Accompanied by composer Mohan Shyam on Pakhawaj, Bhuvaneshwar Vashishtha recited Surdas’s verses.
During the event, several prominent figures performed Shrinathji’s aarti on stage, including Saint Siyaram Baba, Saint Sabaria Baba, Saint Kanhaiya Baba, Pt. Deen Bandhu Tyagi Maharaj, Lal ji Gokul, Deputy CEO of UP Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad Pankaj Verma, and Assistant Engineer RP Singh Yadav.
Chandra Pratap Singh Sikarwar, coordinator of Geeta Shodh Sansthan and Rasleela Academy Vrindavan, and Devendra Sharma, manager of Sur Shyam Seva Sansthan, welcomed the saints by presenting them with ‘patukas’ (a type of scarf). Dr. Umesh Chandra Sharma of UP Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad and Dr. Rashmi Verma, research coordinator of Geeta Shodh Sansthan, handled the arrangements.
Before the staging of Surdas Charitra, Bhagwatacharya Shri Purna Prakash Kaushik musically described all the episodes of Surdas’s life in the sequence of Soor Varta on the Open Air Theater (Muktakashiya) stage. He also sang the verses of Surdas in his melodious voice, entertaining the large number of devotees present in both programs.
In the end, Giriraj ji’s aarti was performed, bringing the Mahakavi Surdas Jayanti Mahotsav to a close.
