Lucknow, Jan 16 (IANS): The Mahakumbh fairground in the newly developed Mahakumbh Nagar has turned out to be a congregation ground for lakhs and crores of devotees and followers of Sanatan Dharma, with not just domestic pilgrims but also those from across the globe heading to the holy town.

Bollywood artists and performers have also set up camps in the fairground to entertain and engage the huge gathering at Mahakumbh.

Adding more value to the sacred event, the Yogi Adityanath government is providing a platform for school and college students to showcase their talent to a global audience. The Culture Department is conducting specialised training in nine disciplines at nine Prayagraj colleges, concluding on January 22, before these students showcase their talents at the event.

Trainers from across the state have been roped in to mentor students at the Prayagraj colleges till January 22. About 600 students are being trained in Awadhi folk singing, folk dance, Mashkbeen, magic, rangoli, Dhedhiya dance, Braj folk dance, and bhajan.

Specialised training in various cultural disciplines is being provided across Prayagraj colleges, including, Awadhi folk singing at Shri Krishna Degree College; Mashkbeen at Madan Mohan Malviya Inter College; magic at Brajmangal Singh Inter College; Awadhi folk song/dance at RP Inter College; folk singing at Sarvodaya Shiksha Sadan Inter College; Dhedhiya dance at Kamala Smarak Inter College; Braj folk dance at Radha Raman Mahila Inter College; Bhajan and folk singing at Government Girls' Inter College; and Rangoli at RNT Inter College.

The renowned trains leading the cultural training sessions include Shiv Pujan Shukla in Awadhi folk singing, Santosh and Vedanand in Mashqabin training, Aftab and Suresh in magic, Upma Pandey in folk singing, Anand Kishore in Dhedhiya dance.

This extensive training program is being conducted jointly by the Culture Department and the colleges, with principals overseeing the initiative. These young talents, trained in the state’s rich cultural heritage, will be key contributors to the vibrant cultural displays at Mahakumbh, showcasing their skills on a grand stage.