The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, not only trains future civil servants for a smooth walk into the service but also gives them a realistic view of the country through various events and special days.
The institute conducts several activities during the Foundation Course such as Himalayan trekking, village visits, zonal days, etc. But one event that is looked forward to the most by the trainees, faculty, and staff of LBSNAA is the celebration of ‘India Day’, wherein they enthusiastically participate and display the cultural diversity of our motherland and salute all martyrs and freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country.
PROCESSION
It is a day filled with fun and frolic for the officer trainees, when they dance, sing, eat, celebrate, and observe the diverse cultures of different regions of the country, closely.
The day begins with a procession in the morning, which begins from the main gate of the academy and ends at the Director’s lawn. The trainees are divided into different groups according to zones and they represent the diversity of their zone in the procession.
“We play music, dance, sing, and dress up as famous personalities or in the authentic attire of our zones. Everyone takes part in it and showcases their culture in the form of artifacts, paintings, commodities, etc. in the designated areas assigned to us,” said Vasu Jain, AIR-67 in UPSC CSE 2020.
AUTHENTIC FOOD
Food is a big part of Indian culture. Owing to that, the trainees get a chance to taste different authentic cuisines from different states and regions.
“Cuisine diversity is also there during India Day. Our meals are divided into different states, and we can eat authentic food from whichever place we like,” Mr. Jain said.
Traditional chefs from different states’ bhavans, such as Gujarat Bhavan, Punjab Bhavan, etc., are invited for a more authentic food experience and taste of the states.
CULTURAL EVENT
The evening of India Day witnesses a cultural event, where the rich diversity and ethnicity of our country is celebrated through dance performances, art, music, singing, and other cultural performances.
“Every zone is given 15-30 minutes to portray the diversity of their states on stage through a special performance. Since I was from the North Zone, we presented Qawwalis from Kashmir, the dance of Uttar Pradesh, etc. Different states perform their folk dances and sing their folk songs, and the night goes on,” Mr. Jain said.
The trainee officers do not get much time to prepare for everything due to their hectic schedules. But their enthusiasm and excitement for India Day bring out the best in them and they conduct full-fledged performances and cultural processions, by just practicing for a couple of days.
“We call experts from different Bhavans to learn folk dances of different states. They teach us the steps and we try to learn them as quickly as possible, for our performances on the D-day,” Mr. Jain informed.
The Academy also arranges for the costumes, props, and required material and necessities of the trainee officers. “We just have to tell them what we require to roleplay a particular personality, and they arrange for everything, right from the costume to the beard, hat, everything!” Mr. Jain added.
India Day is the highlight of the Foundation Course at LBSNAA. The trainee officers look forward to this special day and give their best in preparing and performing for the event!
