Ek Shaam… Swadeshi Ke Naam: Celebrating India’s unity, cultural heritage & indigenous ethos

To commemorate 150 years of the composition of ‘Vande Mataram’, a grand cultural evening, titled ‘Ek Shaam… Swadeshi Ke Naam’ was organised on the evening of January 29 at the NCUI Auditorium on Siri Fort Road. The programme celebrated India’s unity, cultural heritage and indigenous ethos through a rich blend of art and emotion.

The 90-minute thematic production featured over 60 artists from across the country, presenting 14 classical and folk-dance forms that brought India’s diverse cultural traditions alive on stage. Conceptualised as a music-and-dance presentation, the evening reflected the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ through expressive choreography, music and movement.

The programme opened with a serene salutation to the Motherland, gradually evolving into a symbolic portrayal of Bharat Mata. India’s rivers, mountains, fertile landscapes and the rhythm of rural life were depicted through evocative dance sequences. A dedicated segment paid tribute to the nation’s freedom fighters, portraying values of courage, sacrifice, service and resilience through powerful ‘abhinaya’. The tricolour emerged as a strong visual motif throughout the performance, with saffron symbolising valour, white symbolising peace and green symbolising prosperity.

Audiences witnessed a seamless blend of dance traditions, including Garba, Manipuri, Rajasthani folk, Odissi, Mohiniyattam and Chhau, enhanced by LED visuals, dynamic lighting and music. The evening concluded with a stirring group performance celebrating national unity, drawing sustained applause from the audience.

The event was attended by several distinguished guests, including Vijender Gupta, Speaker of the Delhi Vidhan Sabha; Kashmiri Lal, Satish Kumar and Dr Ashwani Mahajan, senior leaders of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch; Dushyant Gautam, BJP General Secretary, along with senior administrative officials and art enthusiasts.

Speaking on the occasion, Mukesh Gupta, the organiser, said that with its strong visual language, emotionally driven script and pan-India artistic participation, ‘Ek Shaam… Swadeshi Ke Naam’ emerged as a significant cultural tribute to ‘Vande Mataram’, reaffirming India’s shared heritage and collective national consciousness.