3-day Lamahi Fest to mark Premchand’s birth anniversary

VARANASI: To commemorate the 135th birth anniversary of noted Hindi novelist and story writer, Munshi Premchand, the ministry of cultural affairs, government of Uttar Pradesh is going to organize a series of activities and events during the three-day 'Lamahi Mahotsava' from July 30.
“We are organizing three-day events to commemorate the outstanding contributions of Munshi Premchand in Hindi literature.A series of activities and programmes will be organized in the city as well as in the parental village of Premchand in Lamahi on his birth anniversary,” regional cultural officer and director of folk and tribal arts culture society Ratnesh Verma said on Thursday.
On the eve of the birth anniversary of Premchand on July 30, a special seminar on 'Munsi Premchand and present environment' will be held at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith (MGKV) witnessing presence of several litterateurs from MGKV, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and others. An exhibition of photos, inscriptions and books of Munshi Premchand will also be displayed in lalit kala department of MGKV.
On the day of Premchand's birth anniversary on July 31, a series of functions will be organized at Lamahi, the parental village of Munshi Premchand located on Varanasi-Azamgarh road. The programme would commence with a seminar, followed by dramas based on his short stories and novels like 'Bade Bhaisahab', 'Rangabhumi' and 'Bade Ghar Ki Beti'. Folk songs would be rendered by Hira Lal Yadav and Vishnu Yadav at Lamahi.
Story-writing and painting competitions based on Premchand, his life, works, are being organized in various schools across the city. Verma said that the best of stories and paintings will be selected and displayed at the ancestral house of Premchand. “Story-writing and painting competitions are going on in various schools. This year, for the first time, we have decided to exhibit the works of children at the ancestral house of Premchand,” Verma said.
The three-day programme would conclude with several activities by schools, colleges and cultural organizations. Prize distribution ceremony will be organized at cultural complex in the city on August 1.