Today immerse yourself in a sea of art. Pegged as India’s biggest folk and art festival “ Lokotsav “ is back. The 2016 edition of the event organised by the Art and Culture ministry of the Goa government, Sports Authority of Goa and the West Zone Cultural Centre in Udaipur, offers a colourful melange of art as well as thrilling folk performances.
This is the 17th edition of the Lokotsav, which is already a national level folk festival, which begins from January 8 to January 17 following the inauguration by Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
This year’s edition will showcase folk dance and folk music programmes from several Indian states. Look out for the performances of folk troupes from Russia and Sri Lanka, which will be performing some scintillating folk art from the two countries.
Some of the eye-catching performances which would be really worth a look-see are Bastar band, qawwali, tamasha, yakshagan, lokgeet, natua, baul, etc.
If you would like to learn a little bit of skill, the Lokotsava could also be a great platform, thanks to the numerous workshops which have also been organised simultaneously to share practical knowledge about the art of bandhani, bead work, cloth toys, folk music and traditional, cooking. More details on this number. 00918322404600.
For those interested in picking up knickknacks, right from terracotta, sculptures, jute handicrafts, shoes, handmade paper articles, jewellery etc, there are around 550 stalls to choose from, laden with handicrafts made by artisans from across the country.
According to the organisers while 260 Goan artisans are participating in the Lokotsav this year, while 490 craftsmen from outside the state would also be setting shop at the event.
This time round the event’s main stage is also an attraction in its own right, fashioned like a single storey Portuguese mansion.
What: Lokotsav 2016
Where: Kala Academy, Panaji
