Mahakumbh of Books Concludes with a Melodious Evening, Padma Shri Malini Awasthi Casts a Spell with Her Folk Music

PNN
New Delhi [India], November 10: The Gorakhpur Book Festival 2025, celebrated as the 'Mahakumbh of Books', organised by NBT-India at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University (DDUGU), concluded today after nine vibrant days. On the final day, Padma Shri Malini Awasthi presented a captivating folk music performance that filled the atmosphere with the rich cultural heritage of Uttar Pradesh. The fair was inaugurated on 1 November 2025 by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath. The event was also attended by Gorakhpur MP and actor Ravi Kishan, Prof. Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Prof. Poonam Tandon, Shri Awanish K. Awasthi, Shri Yuvraj Malik, and other distinguished guests.

The enthusiasm of children remained high even on the final day at the Children's Corner. Nearly 1,500 students from 20 different schools participated with excitement. The morning began with a storytelling session written by Shikha Garg, where young listeners were enchanted by the story of the moon and its struggle to stitch a kurta that fits. Children sang along, imagining the moon celebrating joyfully and proudly showing off its bright new kurta.
In the next session, the Doodle Art Workshop conducted by NCCL, NBT India, introduced students to the fun, spontaneous, creative and mindful world of doodling. Using printed patterns, they filled their designs with vibrant colours and enjoyed the experience of creating their own artwork.
The third session, the Bookmark Design Workshop by NCCL, NBT India, saw children illustrating and designing beautiful, thoughtful bookmarks: some even promising to gift their creations to friends and family.
The day concluded with an orientation session on the National e-Library, where Satish Yadav introduced students to the digital library platform. Children received bookmarks with QR codes, allowing them to download the application and access thousands of books across various genres in 23 Indian languages. The mascot, Cheeta, joined the children on stage and encouraged them with the message - "Keep Reading!"
The evenings of the festival were filled with music, dance and stage performances. On the closing day, Padma Shri Veteran Malini Awasthi delivered a mesmerising folk music performance. Her soulful presentation offered a memorable and emotional conclusion to the nine-day Gorakhpur Book Festival 2025.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Shri Yuvraj Malik, Director, NBT-India, said, "Gorakhpur has celebrated this Mahakumbh of Books with complete dedication and enthusiasm. The participation of students, teachers and families shows that the habit of reading is becoming stronger in Purvanchal. We are committed to the vision of the Hon'ble Prime Minister and the Hon'ble Chief Minister to place a book in every hand. This festival is a big step in that direction."
With thousands of visitors, hundreds of activities, participation from schools and vibrant cultural programmes, the Gorakhpur Book Fair 2025 concluded successfully. This nine-day Mahakumbh of Books strengthened the reading culture in Gorakhpur and inspired children and families. NBT India expressed heartfelt gratitude to the people of Gorakhpur, the district administration and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University for their support and enthusiasm, which made the event a success.
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