01.05.2025

Young Artists Competition at the Roerich Estate 

The spring day of 1 May united three international festivals on the territory of the International Roerich Memorial Trust (IRMT):         

- The traditional Spring Roerich Festival, this year dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Roerich Pact and the Banner of Peace, under the motto "Roerich Pact. Culture. Himachal."

- Children's and Youth Festival 'Russia - India: from Heart to Heart', which since 2017 has been organised at the Roerich Estate by a group of volunteers from the International Centre of the Roerichs (ICR, Moscow);         

- The festival of children's and youth creativity "Roerichs' Realm", organised by the International Centre of the Roerichs and uniting schoolchildren and students from different cities and countries - the festival "Russia-India: from Heart to Heart" was the first stage of this great festival.

The festival at the Roerich Estate began with a traditional song, Sarasvati Vandana, which was a prayer to the Goddess Saraswati, the patroness of art and science. The piece was performed by students of the Helena Roerich Academy of Arts for Children.         

The highlight of the day was a drawing competition for children centred on the theme 'Roerichs in the Valley of Gods (Kullu)'. The competition was open to schoolchildren from the Kullu Valley and students from the Helena Roerich Academy of Arts for Children. The competition took place at the IRMT's Green Theatre venue, with over 80 young artists participating.         

Larisa Surgina (Russian curator of the IRMT and employee of the ICR), Amarjit Anand (accountant of the IRMT), Elena Yakovleva (artist and member of the ICR volunteer group), and teachers of the Academy Anshul Kumar (music), Mamta Thakur (dance), Sapna Thakur (painting) and Anup Thakur (tabla) welcomed the audience.         

In her address to the contest participants, teachers and parents, the Russian curator noted that 2025 is significant as it marks the 90th anniversary of the Roerich Pact and the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the Second World War. It was here, at the Estate in Kullu, that Nicholas Roerich worked on the draft of the first international treaty on the protection of cultural heritage, known as the Roerich Pact. The Roerichs celebrated the Great Victory here and referred to the spring of 1945 as the Sacred Spring. The Banner of Culture was created here, known today as the Banner of Peace, which flies over the Roerich Estate. The Banner calls for the protection of cultural treasures for the sake of a beautiful future. It was here that the Roerichs established the foundation for friendship and cooperation between Russia and India. Therefore, the theme 'Roerichs in Kullu' is extremely versatile. All the speakers extended their best wishes to the young participants for inspiration and success.         

The competition lasted for several hours. Colourful images of the Kullu Valley gradually took shape on immaculate white sheets of paper, showcasing its impressive mountains, sacred temples, venerated deities and its people, as well as its rich cultural heritage, encapsulated by its songs and dances. In the midst of this stunning scenery, the image of Nicholas Roerich himself appeared – the Russian artist and sage, Maharishi and a great friend of India. The images of the heroes from his paintings were then revealed, and the Banner of Peace rose above the peaks, accompanied by the Russian and Indian flags.         

The most challenging task was selecting the winners. The jury worked diligently for several hours, engaging in discussions, deliberations and efforts to reach a fair decision. It was not an easy task, given that each drawing and picture encapsulated the young authors' affection for their native Kullu Valley and its centuries-old culture, as well as an attempt to understand the role of the renowned Russian Roerich family in the context of the region's culture and history.         

The winners were announced on 3 May during a special festive programme held at the IRMT's Green Theatre. A large gathering of guests, parents, teachers and IRMT's staff was assembled in the vicinity. The organising committee of the children's and youth festival in Moscow presented the diplomas and prizes to the young artists. These were delivered to the IRMT by Elena Yakovleva, an artist and member of the ICR volunteer group. The teachers of the H. Roerich Academy of Arts for Children prepared traditional and memorable gifts. The winners were awarded by the honoured guests of the Festival "Roerich Pact'. Culture. Himachal": Irina Arkhipova (Cultural Ambassador of the Union of Women of Russia), Lola Lonli (artist and cultural researcher), Karan Jeet Singh (Director of Naggar Hospital), and Narender Bali (civil engineer).         

The winning pieces will be sent to Moscow for the final event of the 'Roerichs' Realm' festival of children's and youth creativity. In addition, the paintings of the Kullu Valley children will travel to Russian cities and participate in exhibitions, together with the drawings of young artists from Russia and other countries. This will provide the Russian audience with an opportunity to learn about the Roerichs' life in the Himalayan Valley of the Gods, where their heritage is still alive and cherished.