Dastak Youth Festival Day 2 Showcases Student Creativity in Lucknow
The second day of the 18th Dastak Youth Festival at the International Buddhist Research Centre in Lucknow was a vibrant display of student talent and environmental consciousness. A diverse range of activities, including standup comedy, poster-making, cartooning, collage making, group dance, face painting, and nukkad natak (street play), highlighted the creative prowess of participants.
Festival Organization and Participation
The festival is being organized with the support of the UP Tourism department, Yuva Club, and Eco Tourism initiatives. More than 200 students from over 55 colleges across the region are actively participating, transforming the campus into an open gallery. Students were seen holding posters and collages, clicking pictures with each other, and setting up stalls selling calligraphy artworks such as paintings, postcards, bookmarks, and keychains.
Thematic Competitions and Student Insights
Creative posters and cartoons were crafted around specific themes, reflecting contemporary issues. Participant Shiva shared, "My cartoons are based on the theme ‘Sheher ki zehrili hawa' (polluted air of city). I have depicted it through a frog wandering city streets wearing a mask, eyes turned red by air pollution."
Another participant, Vibha Tiwari, who engaged in face painting on the theme of deforestation, explained, "I have shown tears rolling down the eyes of birds, animals, insects, and reptiles as their home is being deconstructed by cutting trees."
For poster making, the theme was travel experience. Madiha Tanveer created a poster portraying a family's visit to famous monuments of Uttar Pradesh, including the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and Sarnath.
Conclusion and Coordinator's Perspective
The competitions concluded with impactful nukkad natak performances that highlighted critical issues such as wildlife and forest conservation. Founder and coordinator of Dastak, Veena Rana, emphasized the festival's alignment with environmental concerns, stating, "In keeping with concern for nature and environment, youth are travelling to peaceful, clean, and healthy environments of forests and wildlife sanctuaries and becoming curious to visit heritage monuments, which is the reason why we based contests on such themes."
This event not only fostered creativity but also promoted awareness about pressing environmental and cultural issues among the youth.
