Swara Mountain Arts Festival grand finale celebration to be held in Dharamshala on April 12

The Swara Mountain Arts Festival 4.0 is set for a spectacular grand finale on April 12, 2025, from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm at the Government Degree College auditorium at Dharamshala.

The Newz Radar, the first and only English digital news network based out of Himachal Pradesh, is the media partner for the event.

This year’s festival, themed “Rise for the Dancing Mother Earth & the Harmony of Five Elements”, celebrates the powerful fusion of art and activism, highlighting the importance of creativity in driving social change and environmental consciousness.

Conceptualised by Abha Bhaiya, the founder of Jagori Rural Charitable Trust, Swara Mountain Arts Festival is a celebration of art, creativity and environmental & humanitarian consciousness.

Initiated in 2022 by Jagori Rural Charitable Trust and One Billion Rising, the festival brings together artistes, creative thinkers and communities to rise together, rooted in the spirit of collective action.

“The fourth year of the Swara Mountain Arts Festival will ‘Rise for the Dancing Mother Earth’, restoring the cosmic whisper of all five elements, the fundamental element of all life forces. It’s a fierce calling against war and violence for peace as our collective prayer,” says Abha Bhaiya.

The guest of honour of this evening on April 12 is expected to be Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the Prime Minister of the Central Tibetan Administration, based in Dharamshala. The festival is hosted every year by Jagori Rural Charitable Trust and One Billion Rising.

The evening will feature stunning performances by world-renowned artistes, including Kathak dancer and Padma Shri recipient Shovana Narayan, Coke Studio artiste Guru Sonam Kalra, renowned Manipuri singer Mangka Laihui, Ladakhi band Dashugs, which blends rock and folk, and semi-classical dancer and choreographer Aditya Vardhan.

Actor and Poet Irawati Harshe Mayadev will be presenting her poetry during the open gate evening celebrations on April 10 at Jagori Campus.

In the run-up to the grand finale from April 8 to 11, 2025, four thematic full-day workshops are being held at Jagori Rural Campus in Rakkar, aimed at exploring and deepening the festival’s theme. These workshops will provide participants with a hands-on opportunity to engage with art and activism.
The festival has previously hosted renowned personalities such as Mallika Sarabhai, Aditi Mangaldas, Shabnam Virmani, Navtej Johar, Piyush Mishra, Raj Zutshi, Palash Dholakia and Neeraj Dholakia, among many other notable artistes who have inspired audiences with their powerful performances and thought-provoking contributions.

Sunil Chadha