This blog has been written as part of a task assigned by the Head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad.
It highlights the major events and memorable moments of the Youth Festival 2025, held at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU) from 8th to 11th October, 2025.
Continuing the rich tradition of cultural celebration, MKBU proudly hosted its 33rd Youth Festival, titled “Bhav-Gunjan Yuvak Mahotsav 2025,” organized by the Department of Physical Education and Cultural Activities.
Here is the brochure and time-table:
8th October'2025
The Youth Festival 2025 commenced with the vibrant Kala Yatra on October 8, marking the grand opening of the celebration. During this event, various colleges and departments conveyed powerful social messages through creative performances.
The Kala Yatra parade began at Shamaldas Arts College and concluded at J.K. Sarvaiya College, showcasing a spectrum of thought-provoking themes such as the rise in rape cases, Gujarat’s rich culture, issues in the education system, and the negative impact of social media. Among all the impressive performances, Swami Sahajanand College stood out and won for their impactful act titled “Operation Sindhoor.”
9th October'2025
Opening Ceremony:
To watch the live stream check these videos here-
This video presents the performances regarding "SURGUNJAN" performed at New Court Hall.
This Video showcases the "RASAGUNJAN" event held at The Atal Auditorium.
These videos showcase mesmerizing performances of the Tribal Dance – “Adivasi Nritya”, captured live on the main stage of the Bhav-Gunjan Youth Festival at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU).
The performances vividly celebrate Gujarat’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from its deep oral and literary traditions. Folk and tribal dances like these often narrate stories, depict regional myths, and embody poetic expressions that have been passed down through generations.
The dance events at the festival beautifully intertwine literature and performance, blending song lyrics, narrative choreography, and dramatic themes to create living expressions of folk poetry, epics, and classical tales. By presenting these traditional art forms on a university platform, the Mahotsav bridges the gap between ancient literary heritage and modern artistic interpretation, encouraging both performers and audiences to reconnect with their cultural and literary roots.
In essence, the festival stands as a vibrant example of how literature both oral and written continues to inspire, inform, and enrich cultural expression through the timeless mediums of dance and performance.
10th October'2025
This video features the dramatic performances of “Ekanki,” or Single Act Plays, presented as part of the Bhav-Gunjan Youth Festival at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU).
The “Ekanki” event forms an integral part of the university’s ongoing efforts to promote literary and performing arts among students, offering a creative platform where written texts are brought to life through dramatic expression and collaboration. These performances share a deep connection with literature, as one-act plays often adapt or reinterpret themes, characters, and narratives from both classical and contemporary works, encapsulating the essence of literary imagination and dialogue.
Through these monodramas, students not only refine their acting and interpretative skills, but also contribute to a dynamic literary culture, engaging audiences with living literature that reflects on social, ethical, and cultural issues relevant to both academic and everyday life.
This powerful blend of text and performance demonstrates how university festivals can revitalize literary appreciation and foster meaningful communal dialogue through the expressive art of theatre.
This video captures a solo Western instrumental music performance, featured on the third day of the Bhav-Gunjan Youth Festival at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU).
These instrumental performances highlight individual musical artistry, blending influences from Western classical and contemporary traditions to promote intercultural appreciation and celebrate the diversity of modern creative expression within the vibrant atmosphere of the youth festival.
The connection between music and literature is beautifully reflected in the festival’s vision of the performing arts as extensions of literary expression. Like poetry and prose, instrumental compositions have the power to evoke emotions, tell stories, and explore universal themes. At the Bhav-Gunjan Youth Festival, the Western instrumental solo serves as a sensory and emotional parallel to literary creativity, reminding audiences that art—whether expressed through words or music—can inspire, unite, and communicate profound ideas.
Ultimately, the performance illustrates how literature’s emotional and imaginative power continues to find new forms of expression through music, merging the written and the performed arts into a shared celebration of culture, creativity, and human connection.
These Videos showcases the "Western Intrumental(Solo)" performances.
This video features the captivating “Mime” performances presented at the Bhav-Gunjan Youth Festival. In this expressive art form, performers convey stories, emotions, and themes solely through facial expressions and body movements, without the use of words or dialogue.
Mime shares a profound connection with literature, as it visually interprets narratives, classical tales, and social themes often rooted in written texts or oral traditions. At youth festivals like this, mime artists frequently reimagine major literary motifs such as love, loss, justice, and human struggle transforming them into universally understandable performances that transcend linguistic barriers.
This fusion of physical theatre and literary storytelling not only enriches the festival’s creative spirit but also revitalizes classic literary ideas for modern audiences. Through mime, the festival celebrates how artistic performance can reinterpret literature, making it both visually engaging and emotionally resonant for contemporary viewers.
This video highlights the “Western Instrumental Singing (Group)” performances from the Bhav-Gunjan Youth Festival. In this event, student groups perform popular Western songs, showcasing the festival’s celebration of intercultural artistic exchange and musical diversity.
The link between music and literature is evident in the lyrical dimension of these performances, as song lyrics represent a powerful form of poetic expression. Through melody and rhythm, these songs tell stories and express emotions love, hope, struggle, and resilience that mirror the themes of traditional poetry and prose.
By uniting voices in group singing, the festival demonstrates how literature transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries, fostering emotional connection and shared understanding among young performers and audiences alike.
This creative blending of literary lyricism and musical performance enriches the festival’s artistic landscape, illustrating how literature continues to inspire, evolve, and thrive through diverse art forms.
This video features the mesmerizing performances of “Shastriya Nritya” or Indian Classical Dance, presented as part of the Bhav-Gunjan Youth Festival. This event showcases traditional dance forms such as Kathak, Bharatnatyam, and Odissi, performed with precision and devotion to the classical principles of rhythm, expression (abhinaya), and gesture (mudra). Each performance narrates stories inspired by ancient Indian literature, mythology, and spiritual texts.
The connection to literature is deeply rooted in these performances, as classical dance serves as a living narrative art form—visually interpreting poetic verses, mythological tales, and philosophical themes drawn from sacred scriptures and epic literature. Through graceful movement and expressive storytelling, these dances bring timeless literary works to life, making their messages and cultural values accessible and emotionally resonant for modern audiences.
Thus, the Shastriya Nritya segment not only preserves India’s rich literary and artistic heritage but also reinterprets it for contemporary youth, fostering a deeper appreciation of both culture and literature within the vibrant spirit of the festival.
This video features the vibrant performances of the “Folk Orchestra” presented at the Bhav-Gunjan Youth Festival. This event celebrates the beauty of indigenous musical instruments and folk melodies, which play a vital role in preserving and honoring regional cultural heritage.
The connection to literature is deeply embedded in folk music and oral traditions, as they often include poetic verses, storytelling, and local legends passed down through generations. These songs and instruments serve as carriers of collective memory and cultural identity, reflecting the lyricism, narratives, and emotions rooted in everyday community life.
By featuring folk orchestral music on the festival stage, the youth actively engage with literary art in its most authentic, oral, and performative form, strengthening the timeless bond between music, narrative poetry, and cultural tradition.
This celebration of traditional literature through music not only enriches the artistic diversity of the festival but also deepens its cultural significance and emotional resonance.
The entire auditorium fell silent as our classmate Sandip Jethva took the stage. His mesmerizing performance of Raag Bhupali on the flute (bansuri) captivated everyone. By choosing this calm and soulful pentatonic raga, Sandip didn’t merely play the notes he wove an atmosphere of serenity and devotion. His music served as a gentle reminder that beyond the spirit of competition, the true essence of our culture lies in these eternal melodies that touch the heart.
This video features the dynamic performances of “Creative Choreography” presented at the Bhav-Gunjan Youth Festival. This event celebrates innovation and originality in dance, showcasing routines that blend diverse styles, themes, and techniques a reflection of contemporary youth culture and artistic experimentation.
The connection to literature emerges through the narrative and expressive dimensions of choreography, as these performances often draw inspiration from literary themes, stories, emotions, and symbolism. In essence, creative choreography serves as a form of interpretive storytelling, transforming written or oral literary motifs into expressive movement, allowing performers and audiences alike to experience literature in a vivid, visual form.
This fusion of dance and literary art underscores the festival’s dedication to celebrating not only traditional literature but also its modern reinterpretations through performance. By doing so, it fosters a holistic engagement with creativity, inspiring young artists to explore and express literature through the universal language of movement and art.
This Video shows the "CLASSICAL SINGING (SOLO)" performances.
11th October'2025
This Video showcases the concluding activities of the Youth Festival "BHAV GUNJAN".
On the last day our seniors- Rajdeep Bavaliya, Rutvi Pal and Sanket Vavadiya who participated in the Quiz competition which was held at our Department, The Department Of English were given their medals and certificates of conquering the 2nd prize and Prakruti Bhatt ma'am and Megha Trivedi ma'am joined them.
Here is a photograph of the participants, the volunteers from The Department Of English along with our professors-
Later on the Quiz Competition winners were felicitated by the Head of Department Of English, Dr. Dilip Barad sir.
Let’s take a look at some vibrant moments that capture the energy, creativity, and spirit of the Youth Festival.
Kala Yatra:
Clay Modelling:
Rangoli:
News paper cutouts and final rankings:
Proud moments! Here are our talented classmates and seniors who brought glory in different competitions.
My experience at the Bhav-Gunjan Yuvak Mahotsav 2025 at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU) was a truly enriching journey, filled with vibrant artistic expressions and deep cultural immersion. I had the opportunity to witness a remarkable range of performances from the graceful discipline of classical dance to the emotive storytelling of mime and one-act plays, and from the soulful melodies of folk orchestras to the innovative energy of creative choreography.
Each performance beautifully illustrated the strong bond between literature and the performing arts, bringing stories, emotions, and cultural heritage vividly to life through movement, music, and drama. The enthusiasm and creativity of the youth participants were truly inspiring, reflecting how literature continues to flourish beyond the written word, influencing and enriching a variety of artistic forms.
This festival not only broadened my appreciation for art and culture but also deepened my understanding of how literary traditions and themes are celebrated, reimagined, and preserved within contemporary youth culture. My engagement with these diverse performances left me with lasting inspiration and a renewed admiration for the transformative power of creative expression.
Thank You!
