Nitish Kumar opens three-day Rajgir Mahotsava

PATNA: Prominent artists of the country and from Pakistan and Sri Lanka would enthrall the audience during the three-day cultural programme as chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the 'Rajgir Mahotsava' at Qila Maidan in Rajgir .

Bollywood singer Kailash Kher, sufi singer from Bengaluru Smita Valur, Aruna Mohanti from Odisha Dance Academy, Gulabo Devi Sapera from Rajasthan and Anita Guha from Tamil Nadu would perform during the festival, an official statement said here. Besides, cultural group 'Raga Boys' from Pakistan and a show by Sri Lankan group would showcase their talents.

Nitish Kumar said Rajgir is a lively centre of civilization and religious cultures and it is revered not only in the country but abroad as well. He said the Rajgir Mahotsava is getting attractive every year and 2.14 crore tourists from the country and 70,000 from abroad visited the place. He hoped that after Nalanda University takes shape, the number of foreign tourists will increase manifold.

The CM said the proposal to extend the fair organized during the festival till Makar Sankranti was under consideration and the Nalanda administration has been asked to take initiative in this regard. This would facilitate the arrival of more visitors and local artists will find enough time to show their talent. "Rajgir Mahotsava will further be extended and made more attractive," he announced.

Planning minister Narendra Narayan Yadav and chief whip of JD(U) in Bihar assembly Shrawan Kumar also spoke while the inaugural function was attended among others by Kaushlendra Kumar and RCP Singh, both MPs, several legislators, CM's principal secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and Nalanda DM Palka Sahni.

Source : TOI

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