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Department of Art and culture, Government of Goa and west zone cultural centre,Udaipur jointly has organised the 10-day Lokotsava-2011 at Panaji . The festival which has commenced on January 4th will conclude on Jan. 14th.
The first folk fesival was organised in Goa in the year 1999 and since then it has become a regular feature in the month of January/February.
 It is a national level folk festival of arts and crafts that is very popular among Goans. This year's Lokotsava is unique in the sense that it coincides with the golden jubilee of Goa's liberation.
The Folk festival is being organised to provide a platform and to encourage the traditional craftspersons and folk artists from different parts of the counrty and the state of Goa by way of exposing their crafts to the prospective buyers and popularize the same. The artists from Goa as well as artists from different parts of the country are invited during the 10 day festival, who perform cultural programmes including folk dances, folk music, songs etc. from their respective states.
This year 13 states including Goa, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Manipur, Assam,Orissa, Rajasthan,Punjab, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka are participating and exhibiting their talents in the ten day festival.
 The festival showcases the folk dances like Bihu from Assam,Sidhi Dhamal and Mewasi from Gujarat, Lawani from Maharashtra, Manipuri Raas from Manipur, Magniyar,puppeteer, Bhavai and Chari from Rajasthan, Purilia chhau from Jharkhand, Panthi Nritya (M.P.), Dholu Kunitha etc. and local Goan folk dances. On the sidelines of the festival a beautiful exhibition on crafts like carpets, terracota,wood crafts, Mosadi, Bhandhani,clay items, kolhapuri chappals, jewellery, leather items, traditional food items etc. is put up at the venue that is attended by a large number of people.
 On an average 5000 people including the local populace and the domestic and foreign tourists visit the Lokotsava- 2011 to witness India's rich culture and heritage. Around 450 craftspersons are exhibiting their talents through products manufactured by them indigenously at 300 stalls put up at the beautiful Darya Sangam of Kala Academy complex in Panaji on the banks of river Mandovi.
Balaji V. Prabhugaonker, AIR Correspondent, Panaji
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