Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, presiding over the birth centenary celebrations of Devika Rani Roerich at Naggar in Kullu recently, said, “The Himachal Pradesh government has suggested to Hema Malini to open her dance school in Kullu. The state government would provide all help to her in her project.” It is to be noted that Devika Rani, veteran actress of Achyut Kanya fame and producer of many hit films under the aegis of Bombay Talkies, Malad(Mumbai), after her marriage with Russian painter Nicholas Roerich, had settled in Kullu , where Roerich had set up his studio.

It may be added that Hema Malini has scores of hit films to her credit, producer-director of TV serial with her own key role as Bharatnatyam dancer, danseuse and key performer in devotional dance dramas based on Lord Krishna and Meera Bai , Rajya Sabha MP and brand ambassador of The Bank of Rajasthan Ltd. She has been a regular performer in cultural programmes in the Pink City.

Rajasthan Day celebrations
For the fourth year in succession, the Jaipurites en masse along with many foreigners were witness to week-long Rajasthan Day celebrations cultural extravaganza from March 24 to March 30, with inaugural function presided over by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. It comprised, just to mention only a few of numerous performances and events: graphic portrayal of Draupadi’s trials and tribulations, and humiliation at the hands of Duryodhana in from epic Mahabharat in a Bharatnatyam performance by danseuse Hema Malini in her inimitable style, with music by Ravindra Jain and renderings by Suresh Wadkar, Sadhna Sargam and Kavita Krishnamurty, live concert by music maestro by A.R.Rahman (one of the four live concerts by AR Rehman in the country so far), scintillating folk dances by ‘Ger’ dancers from Western Rajasthan, breathtaking performance by renowned Pakistani Kathak exponent Nahid Siddiqui, songs by Shreya Ghoshal and Kunal Ganjawala, mesmerizing the listeners.
The musical concerts by prominent artistes were a huge draw with the locals this year. The Department of Tourism has been celebrating the event for the last four years, attempting to make it the state’s ‘brand identity’.