At Ullas 2026, heritage wasn’t remembered—it was performed, worn, and lived on every corner of Kamala Nehru College.
The dust has barely settled on the grounds of Kamala Nehru College (KNC), but the echoes of the Been and the rhythmic stomps of the Jagar dance still linger in the air. Ullas 2026, the college’s flagship cultural festival, concluded this week—not merely as another date on the university calendar, but as a vibrant celebration of roots, rhythm, and the enduring power of womanhood.
Under the evocative theme “Dharohar – The Heritage,” this year’s festival transformed the campus into a living, breathing museum where tradition met contemporary expression. In an era driven by fleeting trends, Ullas 2026 stood out by making heritage feel immediate, relevant, and unmistakably alive.
Invoking the Divine: The Spirit of Dev Bhoomi
The spiritual high point of the festival came with the invocation of the Dev-Devtas, brought to life by the Uttarakhand Society. Their performance of Jagar, a ritualistic folk tradition rooted in the hills, transported the audience far beyond the boundaries of Delhi.
More than a dance, it unfolded as a collective experience—mesmerising, immersive, and deeply reverent. The performance held the audience in near silence before culminating in resounding applause, a rare moment of stillness in the otherwise high-energy fest.
“This was the first time we got to perform at Ullas, so we were super thrilled. It felt like the devtas were truly present and performing through us,” said Anshika Dogra, a fourth-year Psychology Honours student.
From Earthy Rhythms to Electric Nights
If the morning belonged to the divine, the afternoon pulsed with the raw energy of folk traditions from the plains. The Sapera Been Party captivated the crowd with indigenous rhythms that proved irresistible—even the most reserved students found themselves drawn into the hypnotic cadence of the Been.
As dusk fell, the festival seamlessly transitioned into its contemporary avatar.
- Day One witnessed a charged musical set by Rajat Rathor, whose engaging stage presence and spontaneous duet with a student created one of the festival’s most memorable moments.
- Day Two closed on a high note with DJ Kahon Rathore, whose set ensured that the celebration of heritage ended with a modern, high-voltage flourish.
The Fashion of Identity: Where Legacy Meets Style
The runway at KNC told a story far deeper than aesthetics. The Glitz Fashion Society curated a showcase that explored womanhood as legacy, merging traditional textiles with contemporary silhouettes.
Each ensemble functioned as a narrative—of inheritance, identity, and evolution—bringing alive the idea that heritage is not static, but constantly being rewritten.
Beyond the spotlight, the campus buzzed with student-led stalls offering hand-crafted goods, from crocheted accessories to intricate silver jewellery. These spaces underscored a quieter but equally important dimension of Dharohar: sustaining and celebrating grassroots creativity.
More Than Just a Festival
As Student Union President Rajeshwari Shelke noted, Ullas 2026 succeeded because it extended beyond performance into participation. It fostered a shared cultural consciousness, encouraging students to engage with tradition not as a relic of the past, but as a living framework for the present.
From the politically charged narratives of street plays like Masquerade to the technical finesse of choreography competitions such as Mudra, every segment contributed to a larger dialogue about identity and belonging.
Final Take
Ullas 2026 was not just a cultural fest—it was a statement. At a time when digital culture often flattens nuance, Kamala Nehru College demonstrated that heritage can be dynamic, inclusive, and undeniably contemporary.
If Dharohar was the vision, KNC did more than preserve it—they redefined it, making tradition not just relevant, but the coolest thing on campus.
The dust has barely settled on the grounds of Kamala Nehru College (KNC), but the echoes of the Been and the rhythmic stomps of the Jagar dance still linger in the air. Ullas 2026, the college’s flagship cultural festival, concluded this week—not merely as another date on the university calendar, but as a vibrant celebration of roots, rhythm, and the enduring power of womanhood.
Under the evocative theme “Dharohar – The Heritage,” this year’s festival transformed the campus into a living, breathing museum where tradition met contemporary expression. In an era driven by fleeting trends, Ullas 2026 stood out by making heritage feel immediate, relevant, and unmistakably alive.
Invoking the Divine: The Spirit of Dev Bhoomi
The spiritual high point of the festival came with the invocation of the Dev-Devtas, brought to life by the Uttarakhand Society. Their performance of Jagar, a ritualistic folk tradition rooted in the hills, transported the audience far beyond the boundaries of Delhi.
More than a dance, it unfolded as a collective experience—mesmerising, immersive, and deeply reverent. The performance held the audience in near silence before culminating in resounding applause, a rare moment of stillness in the otherwise high-energy fest.
“This was the first time we got to perform at Ullas, so we were super thrilled. It felt like the devtas were truly present and performing through us,” said Anshika Dogra, a fourth-year Psychology Honours student.
From Earthy Rhythms to Electric Nights
If the morning belonged to the divine, the afternoon pulsed with the raw energy of folk traditions from the plains. The Sapera Been Party captivated the crowd with indigenous rhythms that proved irresistible—even the most reserved students found themselves drawn into the hypnotic cadence of the Been.
As dusk fell, the festival seamlessly transitioned into its contemporary avatar.
- Day One witnessed a charged musical set by Rajat Rathor, whose engaging stage presence and spontaneous duet with a student created one of the festival’s most memorable moments.
- Day Two closed on a high note with DJ Kahon Rathore, whose set ensured that the celebration of heritage ended with a modern, high-voltage flourish.
The Fashion of Identity: Where Legacy Meets Style
The runway at KNC told a story far deeper than aesthetics. The Glitz Fashion Society curated a showcase that explored womanhood as legacy, merging traditional textiles with contemporary silhouettes.
Each ensemble functioned as a narrative—of inheritance, identity, and evolution—bringing alive the idea that heritage is not static, but constantly being rewritten.
Beyond the spotlight, the campus buzzed with student-led stalls offering hand-crafted goods, from crocheted accessories to intricate silver jewellery. These spaces underscored a quieter but equally important dimension of Dharohar: sustaining and celebrating grassroots creativity.
More Than Just a Festival
As Student Union President Rajeshwari Shelke noted, Ullas 2026 succeeded because it extended beyond performance into participation. It fostered a shared cultural consciousness, encouraging students to engage with tradition not as a relic of the past, but as a living framework for the present.
From the politically charged narratives of street plays like Masquerade to the technical finesse of choreography competitions such as Mudra, every segment contributed to a larger dialogue about identity and belonging.
Final Take
Ullas 2026 was not just a cultural fest—it was a statement. At a time when digital culture often flattens nuance, Kamala Nehru College demonstrated that heritage can be dynamic, inclusive, and undeniably contemporary.
If Dharohar was the vision, KNC did more than preserve it—they redefined it, making tradition not just relevant, but the coolest thing on campus.
