Mandu, December 28: Madhya Pradesh, known for its overpowering gaiety and pomp during festive celebrations, exhibits the Mandu festival every year with the same exulting fervor. The first edition of the same began today at Mandu, picturesque fort city of Madhya Pradesh. The five-day event organized by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board is slated to witness a celebration of the historic heritage blended with the modern vibrancy of the city culture.
Based on the idea of Khojne Me Kho Jao, the Mandu festival will offer an eclectic mix of performing arts, workshops, art installations, nature trails, walks, food, architecture and music to the visitors during the festival. "Visitors can also explore the trail on cycling tours, walking tours or jump onto the Hop-In-Hop-Out buses to dive deep into the rich history of the city", the statement read.
State Tourism Minister Surendra Singh Baghel informed that the Mandu festival will redefine the essence of this city and bring about the joy of establishing a new tourism hub in the state.
As aforesaid, Mandu festival of India is dedicated to the elephant-headed God, Ganesha, believed to bring good fortune to the devotees. Thus, the celebration receives a lot of fan-fare, with people paying their obeisance with feverish zest. Mandu festival is celebrated in Mandu, Ujjain and Indore, and is noticeably different from Ganesh Chaturthi. What brings about the differences in their celebration of the two festivals is the amalgamation of tribal elements in Mandu festival.
The tribal people worship a stone statue of Ganesha, incorporating their own rituals and patterns of adulation. Thus, Hindu mythology and traditions of local culture blend to give a distinctive shape to this festival. Tribal art and crafts displayed in the fairs, that accompany the festivities, form another major draw of the Mandu Festival. A cultural program organized by the tourism department in Mandu during this period also acts as a window to cultural heritage and tradition of the state.