Fazilka heritage fest from April 9

Praful Chander Nagpal
Fazilka, April 5
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090406/bathinda.htm#8
The much awaited annual feature "Fazilka Heritage Festival" is going to be organised from April 9-12 at the local Pratap Bagh. The annual festival, which is organised by the Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka, (GWAF) was started in 2006. Since then, every year, the festival is offering sublime bliss not just for the music and art lovers of Fazilka but also for those citizens of Fazilka, who have now settled elsewhere, some of whom join the celebrations
The general secretary of the association, Navdeep Asija, disclosed that this year the theme of the festival is “Organic Food and Global Warming.”
According to the details provided by Asija, during these four days of festival, one night will be dedicated to display the vibrancy and cheerful nature of Fazilka people.
Live bhangra show, rock bank performances in front of Fazilka's historic clock tower daily would be an important feature of the festival.
The programmes on second night would be dedicated to the martyrs of Indian armed forces, who laid down their lives defending the country in general and Fazilka in particular in the 1965 and 1971 wars and on occasions. This night will be organised in collaboration with Indian armed forces.
Besides, a night dedicated to honour and celebrate the women of Fazilka region, who made the city proud in different fields is also planned.
A debate on global warming will also be organised.
To promote organic food, a food street on the pattern of Lahore's famous food street is going to be organised in which the noted chefs of the area will prepare the organic food of Malwa region.
Further, to keep the traditional culture of Fazilka alive, the local artists will display their products related to handicraft and traditional fine arts on both sides of the road leading to Pratap Bagh, the venue of the festival.
“The Fazilka Heritage Festival 2009, besides bringing out this spirit alive in the shape of a mega cultural festival, is going to be bigger, broader and better, wherein cultures unite, wits battle, ideas and imagination get involved,” said an enthusiastic Dr Bhupinder Singh, the patron of the GWAF.