New Delhi: As the nation grapples with the concept of harmony, our artists have taken it upon themselves to reach out to everyone in the name of love. This emotion is strong enough to bind people irrespective of religion, caste, creed, and gender. The writers' organization, cultural organizations, students, and youth of the country have collectively decided to go back to their roots and take inspiration from Kabir, Gandhi Ji, and Bhagat Singh. A National Cultural March named ‘Dhai Akhar Prem’ is being organized by groups to travel across states and involve individuals of all strata.
The harmonious march will be inaugurated on 27th September at 5:30 PM in Jawahar Bhawan, New Delhi. The event will showcase short films about love, music of harmony and solidarity, display handmade Khadi, and feature a Gamchha show curated by the well-known Prasad Bidapa. Gamchha, as a garment, will awaken the respect of the laborers against rampant privatization.
The Jatra will start from Alwar in Rajasthan on September 28, the birth anniversary of the great freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Gandhi Ji’s words, “Go to the people, go to the villages,'' form the backbone of the march. Jatris will travel from state to state, passing through the symbolic places of many poets, writers, social reformers, fighters of the freedom movement, and will reach stops with the message 'every bit of struggle has woven this country and society together with love and equality.' They will interact and spend time with the villagers while learning about their experiences. Many painters across the country are creating posters with the message of the Yatra, singers are composing songs, and cultural workers are preparing plays. The journey will conclude on 30th January 2024, the martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi.
Along with the artists, each state will organize its very own one-day yatras. Although the entire Yatra depends on food and accommodation from villagers, the organizers have requested gamchas from handloom weavers across the country to meet the additional expenses. They have appealed, “Buy 10-15 or as many Gamchas as you want and give them for this Yatra. This will also provide direct income to the weavers. The travellers will be able to provide Gamchha at a very cheap price to those who are unable to buy it during the journey.”
Many personalities have lent their support to this initiative. Gandhiji's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi, poet and former MP Uday Pratap Singh from Uttar Pradesh, Manoj Bajpayee, and Anurag Kashyap from Mumbai have appreciated the effort. When Irrfan Khan's young son and actor Babil Khan came forward, he gained the support of Prabir Guha from remote Bengal, Sarvesh Jain, and Sanjay Vidrohi from Rajasthan. Dr. Sukhdev Singh Sirsa from Punjab, T.V. Balan and Balakrishnan from Kerala, Liaquat Jafri and Inder Salim came forward from Kashmir, proving the effectiveness of this peaceful march. Apart from them, many collectives have also come forward for the cause. Sangwari, Anhad, Jan Natya Manch, Caravan-e-Mohabbat, Dalit Writers Association, Janwadi Writers Association, Progressive Writers Association, Jan Sanskriti Manch, and IPTA are some of the many organizations that believe in this motto.
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