Organized by Devbhoomi Sports Foundation, the festival is in its 16th year and is being held at Ramlila Ground, Nerul. |
Navi Mumbai is currently witnessing Kauthig 2025, a five-day cultural festival celebrating the rich traditions and heritage of Uttarakhand.
Organized by Devbhoomi Sports Foundation, the festival is in its 16th year and is being held at Ramlila Ground, Nerul.
For the past 15 years, Kauthig has been showcasing the evolving cultural landscape of Uttarakhand. This year, in its 16th edition, the theme “Explore Uttarakhand” is being highlighted through the concept of “Home Stay”.
In wake of the first anniversary of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, the first day of the festival had artists dressed up as characters of Ramayan and they were given a grand ceremonial welcome by the organisers.
The festival’s stage has been meticulously designed to resemble a traditional Uttarakhandi hill house, complete with a temple and elements depicting the state’s rural lifestyle. “The event aims to reconnect the younger generation with their ancestral roots. Through the home stay concept, we want to inspire youth to restore their ancestral homes, many of which are turning into ruins due to migration,” said Manoj Bhatt, the chief coordinator of Mumbai Kauthig.
The festival was inaugurated on January 22 by Forest Minister Ganesh Naik. On the second day, BJP leader Deep Koshyari from Uttarakhand graced the event as the chief guest.
Renowned artists and singers have been invited to perform at the event.
Uttarakhand folk artist Shweta Mahara captivated the audience with her dance performances, while singers Jitendra Tomkhyal and Darshan Farswan enthralled attendees with renditions of Uttarakhand’s popular folk songs. A special performance by Meera Arya and her troupe from Danpur, dedicated to Goddess Nanda, added to the cultural vibrancy of the festival.
Veteran folk singer Suresh Kala emphasized that Mumbai Kauthig is more than just a cultural platform. “The aim is not only to entertain but also to deliver meaningful messages to the younger generation through music and art,” he stated.
Several prominent personalities have attended the festival, including former mayor Sanjeev Naik, former corporator Madhuri Sutar, former corporator Suraj Patil, social worker Dharamraj Mewari, writer-director Bharat Kukreti, Supreme Court advocate Manoj Gorkela, social worker Hayat Singh Rajput, senior journalist Ganesh Thakur, Kauthig Foundation Vice President Sushil Kumar Joshi, Vinod Bhatt, Hem Pandey, Mangal Singh, Manoj Singh Danu, and Kauthig’s media coordinator Govind Arya.
The festival will conclude on January 26.
