New Delhi,16th March,2026

The three-day cultural festival Mahak-2026, organized under the aegis of Sri Aurobindo College, commenced on Monday with enthusiasm and vibrant cultural activity. The festival was formally inaugurated in the college Seminar Hall with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Principal Professor Arun Chaudhary.

The opening day of the festival was dominated by energetic performances of Nukkad Nataks (street plays) presented by teams from several universities and colleges. This year’s festival revolves around the theme of promoting peace, love, and harmony across university and college campuses.

In his inaugural address, Prof. Chaudhary emphasized the growing relevance of street plays in contemporary society. Addressing the participating teams, he said that street theatre remains a powerful medium for spreading awareness about critical social issues such as education, health, and environmental protection. Governments as well as non-governmental organizations frequently use this form of performance to educate people and communicate important social messages. According to him, street plays are not only a source of entertainment but also an effective tool for public education and social transformation.

The Principal also extended his best wishes to all participating teams and appreciated the efforts of the Moksha Theatre Group coordinators—Professor Hansraj Suman and Dr. Hemchandra—for organizing a successful start to the festival.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Hansraj Suman noted that although street plays were once widely popular, their audience has gradually declined with the rise of cinema, OTT platforms, and digital entertainment. However, he stressed that street theatre continues to play a crucial role in creating public awareness and mobilizing communities around social issues. He also highlighted that many individuals have started using platforms like YouTube to spread awareness through short films, especially in the post-COVID era.

Discussing the history and significance of the Moksha theatre society, Prof. Suman informed the audience that more than 60 drama societies from different colleges and universities had registered for the competition. After screening, 17 teams were selected to perform during the festival. Participating institutions included Rajdhani College, Janaki Devi Memorial College, Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, Mata Sundri College for Women, Kalindi College, Jesus and Mary College, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Maharaja Agrasen College, Bhagwan Parshuram Institute of Technology, Guru Tegh Bahadur Institute of Technology, Hansraj College, Ram Lal Anand College, Shyam Lal College, Sri Venkateswara College, and PGDAV College. These teams captivated the audience with impactful and engaging performances.

The jury for the street play competition included theatre experts Tarun Kohli and Sufiyan Khan, along with Prof. Hansraj Suman. They were assisted by co-conveners Dr. Hemchandra, Dr. Anil Kumar, Dr. Avinash Sonkar, Dr. Prashant Badthwal, Dr. Shiv Mangal Kumar, and Dr. Abhinav Prakash. The event was also attended by Professor Hema Nagpal, along with several faculty members and hundreds of students from different colleges.

According to Prof. Suman, the judges carefully watched all the performances, and the results of the competition will be announced on March 18, the final day of the Mahak Cultural Festival.

Addressing the audience, jury member Sufiyan Khan spoke about the social importance of street theatre. He remarked that street plays have long served as a powerful medium through which people can express their concerns and communicate their demands to the government. The performances staged during the festival addressed important themes such as education, health, environmental protection, and employment.

Concluding the program, Prof. Suman noted that all participating teams delivered remarkable performances aligned with the festival’s theme of peace, love, and harmony. Through their plays, the performers conveyed a strong message to students across campuses that society must embrace values of equality, compassion, friendship, and brotherhood—principles associated with the teachings of Gautama Buddha.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Hemchandra, who expressed his gratitude to all the participating artists and their teams for making the street play competition a memorable success.