World Culture Festival event goes on even as rains play spoilsport, turn venue into swamp

The first day of the WCF, organised by the Art of Living (AOL) Foundation on the banks of the Yamuna, was hit by a heavy downpour Friday evening, making the entry and the exit to the DDA ground a trek through a sludgy wetland.

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The show held at the grounds adjoining the Delhi Noida Direct (DND) Flyway went on even as the unseasonal rain played spoilsport and the audience ran for cover under chairs, tarpaulin sheets and flex boards on the open ground. Some organisers and volunteers were seen cheering and enjoying the rain.

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The carpets laid out on the ground, done up to accommodate lakhs of visitor, were soon soaked in the rain and sinking in the mud. The soggy walkways slowed down people, who walked gingerly along the aisles to stop themselves from slipping on the muddy ground.

A family that had come all the way from Kolkata, after an unsuccessful search for a dry spot to sit on, complained to a local volunteer.

“We have come with a child. His clothes are soaked and our enclosure at the bank is completely wet. All we are saying is that some arrangement should have been made so that we could sit,” said the child’s father, who did not wish to be named.

The damp ground under their feet, however, could not dampen the celebratory spirit of many participants.

Andrei Liashchynski, a dancer from Belarus scheduled to perform at the WCF Saturday, said, “This is my second time in India. I am happy to be here. This is great”.

Mothers carrying infants, a wheelchair-bound woman and senior citizens were among those who waded through the soaked ground. People from 155 countries are expected to attend the event, in which 35,973 artistes from across the world are scheduled to perform over three days.

There was a steady stream of people entering the Yamuna Bank venue of the WCF throughout the first day, until late evening. Managed entirely through thousands of volunteers who poured in from different parts of the country, the event ran smoothly, except for the hitches brought on by the rain.

Given the size of the venue, the volunteers and many security personnel could often not direct the public to the correct gates. Inadequate signage also confused and inconvenienced many. Bags were checked at some entrances and left unscreened at others.

Nilesh Kumar, a volunteer who has been an active part of the Art of Living campaign for nine years, said that preparations for the event began in early October and volunteers were trained in groups to prepare them for the mega event.

However, the crowds were concentrated only in the front portion of the venue, since there were no electronic screens for the benefit of those sitting further back. The performers sat on the stage throughout and the stage was barricaded off at least 100 feet from the chairs. Over half the chairs placed for the visitors remained vacant.

Meanwhile, organisers of the event said that rains were a “blessing from god” and an AOL event in Berlin had also witnessed heavy showers.