'Namaste Orchha' festival to encourage tourism in Madhya Pradesh

The lesser known town of Orchha will be at the forefront of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board's latest endeavour -- a cultural festival to encourage tourism in the state.

"Namaste Orchha" that opens on March 6, seeks to draw tourist attention to the state of MP in general and Orchha in particular, by showcasing its cultural landscape through a range of activities like art, music and dance performances, guided history tours, photography tours and more.

"Orchha is a hidden gem in Madhya Pradesh and thrives on its celebrated heritage, natural beauty, culture and creativity.

"Our thought is to create an annual event in the cultural calendar of the state that will help to discover this fascinating place and bring the confluence of ideas and creative collaborations," Yasmin Kidwai, festival director and curator, said on Friday.

Over the course of the three days, the festival will see an inaugural cultural performance at the 16th century Orchha Fort, an immersive visual spectacle of the "maha aarti" on the banks of river Betwa, and a "farm to fork" experience showcasing products of organic farming.

"Madhya Pradesh is among the most exciting tourist destinations in the country and has immense potential to grow inbound tourism...we are creating new opportunities and initiatives to promote the state and its rich cultural, natural and architectural heritage and its traditions and history.

"This festival will find a place in the lives of the local populace of Orchha, sharing their home and heart with visitors," Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Secretary Tourism, MP government, said.

The festival will also feature a food and crafts bazaar that will have local cuisine and traditional handicrafts of the region on offer.

Among performing artistes at the event will be Indie music band Indian Ocean and famous Hindustani classical vocalist Shubha Mudgal.

The festival will come to a close on March 8.