by Arun Pathak
Bokaro: The Mithila Cultural Council celebrated a significant milestone on Monday evening with the unveiling of a statue of Mahakavi Vidyapati at Mithila Academy Public School in Sector 4. The ceremony marked a long-cherished dream of the council to honor the celebrated Maithili poet, a cultural icon of the Mithila region.
The event was graced by notable figures including Mithila Cultural Council President Anil Kumar, Mithila Academy Public School President Hari Mohan Jha, former school President Prabhat Kumar Jha, BSL Chief General Manager (Town Services) Kundan Kumar, Dr. K. N. Thakur, senior litterateur Buddhinath Jha, and several council vice presidents and secretaries.
In his welcome address, General Secretary Neeraj Chaudhary hailed the occasion as historic, emphasizing the significance of installing Vidyapati’s statue in the school campus. He expressed gratitude to the community and executive members for their support in realizing this vision.
Council President Anil Kumar shared his enthusiasm, noting the installation of the statue as a proud moment for Maithils and recognizing Vidyapati’s esteemed place in Indian literature. Mithila Academy Public School President Hari Mohan Jha highlighted Vidyapati’s pivotal role in the Shringar and Bhakti traditions and applauded the council’s efforts in commemorating him.
The event featured a vibrant cultural program, with performances of Vidyapati’s songs by Abha Jha, Umesh Jha, Shefali Dubey, Anchal Pathak, and others, captivating the audience with their melodious renditions. Students Alia and Tejaswini from Mithila Academy also performed a dance to the song “Kanak Bhudhar Shikhar Vasini.” Musical accompaniment was provided by Rajendra on synthesizer, Umesh Jha on harmonium, Vishwanath Goswami on dholak, Manoj on octopad, and Harshit Jha on tabla. The program was managed by Planning Secretary Shivesh Pathak and Sunil Mohan Thakur.
The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks from Rajendra Kumar, a permanent invited member of the council. The event saw the presence of numerous other dignitaries including Durga Nand Jha, Dr. A.K. Jha, Dr. Nilay Pathak, Shrimohan Jha, Sudeep Kumar Thakur, RN Mishra, Govind Kumar Jha, Manoj Kumar Jha, Anil Kumar Jha, Arvind Mishra, Anand Rajhans, Shankar Singh, Ajay Chaudhary Deepak, Shravan Kumar Jha, Sonu, Amita Jha, Binu Choudhary, Beena Jha, Prerna Ojha, Mamta Jha, Amarnath Jha, PN Jha, Advocate Kant Mishra, Ritesh Jha, Shambhu Jha, Mahadev Jha, Dr. Rakesh Ranjan, Vidyanand Choudhary, Ashwini Kumar Mishra, Vishwanath Jha, Babita Jha, Ganesh Jha. , Sudhanshu Shekhar Jha, Awadhesh Pathak, Babita Jha, Ganesh Jha, Sudhanshu Shekhar Jha, Awadhesh Pathak and several other prominent members of the Maithil community.
The successful unveiling of the Mahakavi Vidyapati statue stands as a testament to the Mithila Cultural Council’s dedication to preserving and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the region.