Delhi Tourism’s three-day Mehrauli Monsoon Festival kicked off on Friday with a plethora of activities lined up to highlight the cultural and ecological significance of Mehrauli as a tourist destination.
The festival was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who said that he hoped the festival would promote Mehrauli as a destination for locals and travellers and in-turn give an opportunity to visitors to explore the layered history of Delhi’s oldest surviving habitation.
“Mehrauli was considered to be Delhi’s monsoon retreat. I urge all Delhiites to celebrate the season in this historic location, exploring its rich culture, ecology and heritage,” Mr. Sisodia said.
Delhi Tourism said that the festival seeks to highlight the cultural and ecological significance of Mehrauli as a tourist destination and will showcase multiple workshops, heritage walks and cultural performances among other activities across three venues — Aam Bagh, Jahaz Mahal and Jharna.
The first day saw soulful performances by qawwali singer Qutbi Brothers and kathak artist Rani Khanam. Visitors were taken for a heritage walk through the lanes of Mehrauli.
“Workshops on painting, sculptures and ecology will be held every day during the festival to engage visitors and enable a better understanding of our rich artistic lineage. With Mehrauli Monsoon Festival, Delhi Tourism intends to let visitors appreciate and cherish the cultural richness of places like Mehrauli Village and widen the perspective of Delhi housing only a specific known set of monuments,” the Delhi Tourism Department said.
To facilitate visitors, free shuttle service is being provided from Chattarpur metro station to the venue and back, it also said.
