The campus of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University came alive on Thursday with the display of state’s heritage through Virasat Mela, the institute’s maiden heritage festival.
Instead of laboratories and lecture halls, the campus welcomed visitors with a glass of frothy buttermilk. Phulkaris and baghs draped the walls at the College of Dairy and Food Science Technology.
Organisers said the event was a celebration that carried the fragrance of soil, the rhythm of folk songs and the true essence of the state.
SPS Ghuman, organising secretary, said the event was aimed at reconnecting students with traditional Punjabi values, attire, music and lifestyle, while providing an engaging platform for showcasing cultural talent.
Dr GS Wander, principal, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), inaugurated the festival, and appreciated the initiative for preserving and promoting the state’s heritage among the younger generation.
The festival started with a cultural procession which showcased different traditional glimpses of the state. A series of competitions and exhibitions were the highlight of the festival. Students enthusiastically participated in the competitions of traditional attire, recipes, calligraphy, turban-tying and quiz.
The students put up performances of traditional folk forms, including lammi haek wale geet, jindua, poetry, kavishri, mehandi, lammi gutt and bhand performances, which captivated the audience and reflected the vibrancy of folk culture.
Alongside the competitions, an exhibition of traditional household utensils and heritage items was put up. The exhibition featured a wide range of vintage objects, such as chulhas, brass utensils, wooden tools and other artifacts, illustrating the lifestyle of rural areas in earlier times.
Students and faculty members appreciated the efforts made to collect the traditional items.
JPS Gill, vice-chancellor, said such events played a significant role in strengthening cultural identity and encouraging students to remain connected with their roots. He said the university will make it a permanent feature to keep the youth connected with this thought.
Gurbhajan Gill, an eminent poet, called the event an “auspicious omen”. “We got a complete glimpse of our culture through it and feel proud our youth and our future generation still loved these values with great heart,” he said.
Jasdev Singh Sekhon, Assistant Commissioner, Municipal Corporation (MC), appreciated the initiative and said such festivals should be organised by all institutions together.