He stressed the need for follow up training throughout the year following the Utsav and emphasised the need for more scholarships to India for gifted participants in music and dance. In the past, youngsters who were winners of the Hindi elocution category at the Utsav went to India for further studies in Hindi.

Pandit Persaud encouraged the young artistes to continue training in the various art forms and to strive for excellence in each area.

On Sunday November 30, the Dharmic Sanskritik Kendra was a hive of activity as an estimated 1,000 persons from Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara assembled under colourfully decorated tents for the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s 10th Kala Utsav.

The Utsav commenced with a Ganesh Vandana by Shri Hemant Panwar who was accompanied by Shri Philip V. Francis on tabla. The auspicious lamp was lit by His Excellency Shri Avinash Gupta, India’s High Commissioner to Guyana.
The responsive audience was then treated to an entertaining programme as the more than 120 young performers took the stage and performed with all their hearts in Ramayan chanting, Hindi elocution, singing, harmonium, dholak, tabla classical and folk dance. Impressive performers won the judges nod, they were:

1. Ramayan chanting - 1st Aditya Persaud of East Coast Demerara (ECD); 2nd, Komalmattie Baichan of West Berbice; 3rd, Rena Singh of Essequibo.

2. Tabla – 1st, Nandram Persaud of ECD; 2nd, Yashpaul Rampersaud of West Coast Demerara (WCD); 3rd, Heshwar Yadram of East Berbice;

3. Junior Classical Dance – 1st, Keshree Tobaran of Georgetown; 2nd, Shoma of East Bank Demerara (EBD); 3rd, Zoreena Hussain of East Berbice;

4. Hindi Elocution – 1st, Anisa Bridjlall of East Berbice; 2nd, Rajkumarie Singh of WCD; 3rd, Komalmattie Baichan of West Berbice;

5. Male Singing – 1st, Aditya Persaud and Chandrapaul Haranah; 3rd, Dhanraj Ramnath.

6. Senior Classical Dance – 1st, Deodat Persaud of Georgetown, 2nd, Roshni Boodhoo of WCD; 3rd Jyoti Hardat of EBD;

7. Dholak – 1st Chaitsingh Mohanlall of West Berbice, 2nd Aditya Persaud of ECD, 3rd Suresh Dial of Central Corentyne;

8. Duet – 1st Anuradha Sukha and Vishal Makhai of Central Corentyne; 2nd Malini and Anil Persaud of EDC, 3rd Prem and Varuni Persaud;

9. Harmonium – 1st Chandrapaul Haranah, 2nd Aditya Persaud of ECD, 3rd Preya Persaud of East Berbice and Rajendra Deodat of Essequibo;

10. Female Singing – 1st Anuradha Sujkhai, 2nd Regina Chand, 3rd Sonie of Upper Corentyne and Natasha Persaud of WCD and

11. folk dance – 1st Central Corentyne, 2nd Essequibo, 3rd WCD Aditya Persaud of ECD Praant gave a demonstration on the Mandolin; playing Om Jai Jagdish Hare.

The Central Corentyne Praant won the trophy for the most outstanding Praant. The highlight of Kala Utsav was the colourful and vibrant folk dance segment, which had the audience cheering continuously and which brought the curtains down on the 10th Kala Utsav.

A sumptuous lunch was provided for all in attendance. Students of the Mahila Mandalee’s cookery classes displayed Indian delicacies and ladies from the Berbice Praant displayed beautiful craft.