Lucknow buzzed with cultural fervor as the three-day UP Day 2026 event at Rashtriya Prerna Sthal reached its colorful climax on January 26. Millions embraced the celebration, which masterfully wove UP’s artistic legacy, folk vibrancy, and progress narrative into an unforgettable janotsav.
Earthy folk dances and melodies from local talents evoked the soil’s aroma. Ocean Band’s innovative fusion rocked, Vineet Singh and Pratibha Singh Baghel’s vocals soared high. Development stalls from departments inspired, cultural stages brimmed with excellence.
Standouts included Varanasi’s Saurabh-Gaurav Mishra’s Kathak elegance, Puran Maharaj’s tabla brilliance, Shweta Dubey’s and Sheetal Mohan Mishra’s enchanting songs, Vishal Gupta’s dance artistry, Chandra Bhushan’s dramatic flair, and Indian Ocean’s youth magnet performance.
The 25th’s Vineet Singh semi-classical drew ovations, enhanced by Virendra Singhal’s Bundeli zest, Ranjana Agrawal’s folk warmth, Ganesh Pathak’s devotional flow, Vandana Kushwaha’s Rai vigor, Rahul-Rohit Mishra’s Kathak rhythm, Harish Tiwari’s classical purity, and Ilmas Khan’s percussion prowess.
Closing with Pratibha Singh Baghel’s bhajan magic, Mathura’s Sudha Pal folk danced vibrantly, Delhi’s Devika S. Mangalamukhi Kathak-ed exquisitely, Ajay Pandey sang folksy, Chhedilal birha-ed soulfully, Shiv-Shivang vocalized powerfully, and gharana presentations culminated gloriously.
ODOP handicrafts and ODOC specialties were hits, spotlighting local ingenuity. ‘Kala Gaon’ recreated village life with mythical figures, puppets, acrobatics, and chai setups. The fest entertained profoundly while connecting people to UP’s rich, diverse heritage and budding stars.