Dr. Mahesh sharma Inaugurates Bharat Parv at Red Fort, Delhi Bharat Parv, a national festival showcasing the countrys diverse culture, cuisines, handicrafts and catch glimpses of a progressive India was inaugurated by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism and Culture at Red Fort, Delhi today. Bharat Parv event is being organized by the Government of India at the Red Fort, Delhi from 26th to 31st January 2017, as part of the Republic Day 2017 Celebrations. The prime objective of organizing the event is to generate a patriotic mood, promote the rich cultural diversity of the country, ensure wider participation of the general public and to popularise the idea of Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat". The Event is open to the public and entry is free. However, identity proof must be carried for entry. The Ministry of Tourism has been designated as the nodal Ministry for the event, the highlights of which include display of the Republic Day Parade Tableaux, Performances by the Armed Forces Bands (static and moving), a Multi-Cuisine Food Court, Crafts Mela, Cultural Performances from different regions of the country and a Photo Exhibition by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. The Cultural Performances include choreographed Folk / Tribal Dances and Music from across the country arranged through the North Zonal Cultural Centre as well as performances by cultural troupes from the different States/ UTs of the country. The Food Court has 50 stalls set up by the States / UTs, National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) showcasing street food from different regions as well as by the Institutes of Hotel Management and ITDC. The Crafts Mela with 50 stalls showcases the diverse handicrafts of the country, arranged by the State Governments and Ministry of Textiles through the Office of the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts. There are 11 Theme State Pavilions where each State would showcase their achievements and initiatives, tourism products and destinations, etc. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has set up a Photo Exhibition on the theme Mera Desh Badal Raha Hai, Aage Badh Raha Hai". The big attraction of the event are the Republic Day Parade Tableaux which are stationed at the venue for the duration of the event. The participating States and Union Territories in the Event are Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
