Over one lakh visitors savour northeast culture at Rashtrapati Nilayam’s Bharatiya Kala Mahotsav

It featured more than 300 artists and artisans from the eight northeastern states.

The Bharatiya Kala Mahotsav (BKM) 2024, held from September 29 to October 6 at Rashtrapati Nilayam in Bolarum, Secunderabad, attracted over one lakh visitors, offering them a glimpse into the vibrant culture of northeast India. The festival, jointly organised by Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Ministry of Development of the Northeast Region, and the Ministry of Culture, featured more than 300 artists and artisans from the eight northeastern states.

“Over 20,000 people attended the mahotsav on its final day,” said K. Rajani Priya, manager of Rashtrapati Nilayam. The closing ceremony celebrated the eight-day event, which showcased performances featuring various art forms, bands, and choirs from the northeastern states.

On its final day, huge crowds flocked to the 164-year-old President’s winter residence, eager to experience the cultural richness of the northeast. Tarun, a 28-year-old IT professional, shared his experience: “I could only attend on Sunday. I came from the Sainikpuri route, and from the 1 EME Canteen signal, there was a long line of vehicles. It took me about 15-20 minutes just to park and reach the entry gate.”

Similarly, Kiran Kumar, 36, from Jubilee Hills, had a smoother experience after pre-purchasing his tickets online. “There was a long queue at the self-check kiosks, but luckily, I avoided the wait by booking my ticket in advance,” he said.

Inside the festival, visitors explored the pavilions representing Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. However, many stalls had already sold out their merchandise by the last day. A note at one of the Manipur stalls read, “All the things are sold out. Thank you, Hyderabad. Northeast loves you too.”

The event also featured a variety of northeastern cuisine, but similar to the pavilions, many food stalls had run out of food by Sunday afternoon, leading to large crowds around the few remaining open vendors.