The 14th Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav commenced at Dr. Karni Singh Stadium in Bikaner, Rajasthan on Saturday evening. The festival, being organized by the Union Ministry of Culture, was inaugurated with a Shobha Yatra, in which artists from different states of the country participated in traditional dresses. Later on, Governor of Rajasthan Kalraj Mishra and Union Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal inaugurated the craft fair and various exhibitions.<br />'' <br />''The 9 days long festival is being organized with the support of  7 regional cultural centers and various academies. President Draupadi Murmu is scheduled to grace the festival on Monday.  Performances of about one thousand well-known artists from across the country based on folk dance, folk music, drama and Sufi music will take place during the festival. Apart from this,  sand sculpture, an exhibition based on crafts and other arts will also be organized. The objective of the festival is to preserve, promote and popularize the rich cultural heritage of the country.