The Chandigarh Arts & Heritage Festival attempts to reconnect literary,visual & performing arts
It’s an amalgamation of the arts,one which will translate into a festival that will celebrate and reconnect dance,music,literature,theatre…Soak in the strains of music,play with vibrant hues,be a part of the drama,read between the lines…for six days simply sit back and let the world go by. Welcome to The Chandigarh Arts and Heritage Festival,which promises to be a celebratory occasion,the first for the city.
The endeavour of The Chandigarh Administration,with creative inputs and suggestions from eminent artists of the city,according to Ram Niwas,the festival will promote culture,create better understanding of the inter-relationship between various art forms and will evolve be an annual affair. As Dr BN Goswami,eminent art historian puts it aptly,we need to reassemble the arts. Performing,literary and visual arts were always connected,but we separated them and in these six days,we will bring them together once again.
To be held all over the city,the festival will begin on March 27 with a recital by Shubha Mudgal. Enjoy Hindustani Classical Music under the stars at the Open Hand Monument. Budding writers will get a chance to interact with writers Githa Hariharan and Manjula Padmanabhan,who will also read excerpts from their books and talk about the process of writing and of course,discuss their works as well. The festival will be a common platform for various artists to get together and a unique experience for the citys people, nods Rajnish Wattas.
Shekhar Sen in his musical mono-act Kabeer,strives to bring to life,the message ,poetry and philosophy of the saint in a unique,classical style . The singer,actor,director wants to present his art to people and inspire them to get in touch with themselves and their literature. Sen has invented his innovative style in his mono-act musical plays,based on the life of great saints like Vivekananda,Tulsi and Kabeer,the true representatives, of India,as Shekhar likes to describe them. To move ahead,believes Sen,its vital that we connect with our past and roots. People of all generations can relate to Kabeers poetry,he is so relevant today and his life sketch was so intense, smiles Sen,who will present the play at Tagore. The festival,I believe will grow and evolve and its a one-of-its-kind effort in the city, smiles theatreperson Rani Balbir Kaur.
A painting workshop by eminent artists will be held at the Museum and part of it will be Delhi-based painter Paramjit Singh,whose landscapes,with their loaded silence evocative of the other world,became over the years,a distinct mystical utterance in pictorial terms. A classical dance performance by famous exponent of Bharat Natyam Malavika Sarakkoi,also a renowned choreographer will be held at Tagore.
Actor and director Rajat Kapoor brings Hamlet – The Clown Prince here. According to Kapoor,the play is a search in the world of Hamlet through the eyes of clowns. The result is a comic way in which the actors have improvised various parts of the play and yet touched upon the tragedy of the young prince. The play got Rajat the best director award at the fourth Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards 2009. You also have a chance to view our National folk dances which will be replete with colour,music and tradition. Theatre lovers can join in Neelam Man Singh,who will conduct a theatre workshop. The festival will close with a flute recital by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia at the Rock Garden. Our effort here is to encourage people to fulfill their creative urges and not just the city,people from the region should be a part of the festival, chorus the creative heads…
Parul is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express in Chandigarh. She is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years of experience specializing in public health, higher education, and the architectural heritage of Northern India.
Professional Profile
Education: Graduate in Humanities with a specialized focus on Journalism and Mass Communication from Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Career Path: She began her career covering local city beats and human interest stories before joining The Indian Express in 2009. Over the last decade and a half, she has risen to the rank of Principal Correspondent, becoming the publication’s primary voice on Chandigarh’s premier medical and academic institutions.
Expertise: Her reporting is deeply rooted in the institutional dynamics of PGIMER (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research) and Panjab University. She is highly regarded for her ability to navigate complex administrative bureaucracies to deliver student-centric and patient-centric news.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 - 2025)
Her recent work highlights critical reporting on healthcare infrastructure, academic governance, and urban culture:
1. Public Health & PGIMER
"PGIMER expands digital registry: Centralized patient records to reduce wait times by 40%" (Nov 20, 2025): A detailed look at the digital transformation of one of India's busiest medical institutes to tackle patient influx.
"Robotic Surgery at PGI: Why the new urology wing is a game-changer for North India" (Oct 12, 2025): Reporting on the acquisition of state-of-the-art medical technology and its impact on affordable healthcare.
"Shortage of life-saving drugs: Inside the supply chain crisis at government pharmacies" (Dec 5, 2025): An investigative piece on the logistical hurdles affecting chronic patients in the tri-city area.
2. Education & Institutional Governance
"Panjab University Senate Election: The battle for institutional autonomy" (Dec 18, 2025): In-depth coverage of the high-stakes internal elections and the friction between traditional governance and central reforms.
"Research funding dip: How PU’s science departments are navigating the 2025 budget cuts" (Nov 5, 2025): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing researchers and the impact on India's global academic ranking.
3. Art, Culture & Heritage
"Le Corbusier’s legacy in peril: The struggle to preserve Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex" (Dec 22, 2025): A feature on the conservation efforts and the tension between urban modernization and UNESCO heritage status.
"Chandigarh Art District: How street murals are reclaiming the city’s grey walls" (Oct 30, 2025): A cultural profile of the local artists transforming the aesthetic of the "City Beautiful."
Signature Style
Parul is known for her empathetic lens, often centering her stories on the individuals affected by policy—whether it is a student navigating university red tape or a patient seeking care. She possesses a unique ability to translate dense administrative notifications into actionable information for the public. Her long-standing beat experience makes her a trusted source for "inside-track" developments within Chandigarh’s most guarded institutions.
X (Twitter): @parul_express ... Read More
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