Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, kept its date with heritage competitions to mark the World Heritage Day here today. The Directorate of Students’ Welfare, under the mentorship of Dr Nirmal Jaura, Director Students’ Welfare, organized a competition on Paranda Gundna for the girl students of the university.

The competition was thrown open to all constituent colleges of PAU. Students, in spite of their mid-semester exams in full swing, participated with great enthusiasm and the Students’ Home was thronged with participants who came decked up in traditional attire, along with their girl accomplices who acted as models on whose hair the traditional paranda was meant to be braided. The models too came dressed in their traditional best, adorned with traditional Punjabi jewellery like maang tikka, jhumkas etc.

Dr Jaswinder Brar, Associate Director, Cultural Activities, while welcoming Dr Nirmal Jaura, elaborated on the significance of observing the World Heritage Day in the campus. The celebration of such a day is an interesting way to connect to our roots, which in the hustle and bustle of our lives, is fading, she remarked. The judges for the event, Dr Sharanbir Bal and Dr Sukhjeet Kaur, too observed that such competitions help to revive the cultural ethos. The participants were graded on the parameters of traditional manner of paranda gundna, neatness and overall presentation. Harpreet Kaur (College of Community Science), Navpreet Kaur (College of Horticulture & Forestry) and Ravijot Kaur (College of Basic Sciences & Humanities) clinched the first, second and third positions in the competition.

Presidents of the Dance Drama Music Clubs (DDMC) of the constituent colleges of the university, namely, Dr Nilesh Biwalkar, Dr Ashoo Toor and Dr Karanbir Singh also marked their attendance as the competition added a riot of colour and festive aura to the Students’ Home. The Presidents felt that the competition in itself holds a promise that PAU has always been committed to preserve the rich fabric of the culture and heritage of Punjab. Mr Satvir Singh, Supervisor, Cultural Activities, organized the competition with finesse. Students clicked memorable pictures with neatly braided parandas. The organisers congratulated the winners and awarded mementos to all participants, boosting them for their participation in large numbers.