Creative outreach in Prayagraj aims to engage Gen Z on social issues
Prayagraj on Wednesday became the launch pad for "Rang De Basanti", a three-day cultural campaign that organisers say is designed to connect with younger generations — particularly Gen Z — through poetry, music and visual arts. The programme began at the Hindustani Academy and will move to Lucknow and Muzaffarnagar through August 14, according to official information released on Tuesday.
The inaugural event at the Hindustani Academy featured performances by eight poets from universities and different states, who used traditional and contemporary poetic forms to address social themes, organisers said. The participants are described as poets who reflect the sentiments of the younger generation through Veer Ras and Ojas Ras poetry.
The session was chaired by noted lyricist Dr Vinamra Sen Singh and international storyteller Acharya Shantanu Ji Maharaj, and programme coordination was handled by Vishwadeep Shukla, the materials released said. Poets at the launch took aim at the culture of organised crime and the influence of the mafia through their verses, organisers reported.
"Gen Z Poets from various universities and different states took aim at mafia culture through verses at Hindustani Academy last night."
The campaign combines multiple art forms with a stated aim of drawing younger audiences and stimulating public conversation on governance and civic responsibility. Future programming listed by the organisers includes live mural work in Lucknow and a comic-distribution drive in Muzaffarnagar, together with performances blending rap music and digital art.
- Dates: August 12–14 (campaign start in Prayagraj on August 12)
- Venues: Hindustani Academy (Prayagraj); graffiti wall initiative (Lucknow); comic distribution and dialogue programme (Muzaffarnagar)
- Art forms: Poetry (Veer Ras, Ojas Ras), rap, graffiti, live performances, digital art, comics
Organisers said the Lucknow leg scheduled for Thursday will centre on a graffiti wall initiative, where artists will create live public murals intended to depict the impact of mafia culture. On Friday, the campaign team plans to hold a comic distribution and dialogue programme in Muzaffarnagar aimed at promoting communal harmony, the release added.
| City | Date | Main activity |
|---|---|---|
| Prayagraj | August 12 | Poetry performances at Hindustani Academy |
| Lucknow | August 13 | Graffiti wall — live mural creation |
| Muzaffarnagar | August 14 | Comic distribution and dialogue on communal harmony |
Campaign organisers describe the initiative as a blend of traditional literary forms and contemporary urban art intended to attract youth participation and initiate conversations on the social corrosive effects of organised crime. They said the project will also use rap music and digital art to broaden its appeal.
Local cultural observers and youth groups in Prayagraj have in recent years engaged with similar interdisciplinary events to involve students from universities and colleges. The Hindustani Academy, a noted venue for cultural programming in the city, hosted the launch event, signalling organisers' intent to reach both an educated youth cohort and a wider public audience.
While organisers framed the campaign as a non-partisan cultural outreach, the choice of themes such as mafia culture and communal harmony underlines an interest in addressing issues that cut across law-and-order, civic life and inter-community relations — topics of persistent concern in parts of Uttar Pradesh.
The three-day schedule and the use of multiple media aim to make participation accessible: poetry and rap performances for live audiences, visible public art in the form of murals for passers-by, and comics for distribution to younger readers to encourage follow-up dialogue, organisers said.
Further logistical details, such as timings for the Lucknow graffiti event and distribution points in Muzaffarnagar, were not included in the initial release. Those seeking more information were advised to consult the Hindustani Academy or the event coordinators named in the announcement.
