The Festival of East Anglia & Punjab 2022 explored the cultural links between East Anglia in the UK and Punjab, through the story and legacy of Maharajah Duleep Singh and the last royal family of the Punjab who lived in Norfolk. 2022 also marked the 75^th Anniversary of India and Pakistan independence, and the Partition that divided Punjab in two halves, when the once vast Kingdom of Duleep Singh was separated between two nations.

With events taking place across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, the Festival of East Anglia & Punjab brought communities together to share cultures, customs and traditions through heritage and the arts. With a wide range of activities planned, from melas, music and performances, to talks, food and family events, the festival had something for everyone, appealing to people of all ages and from different backgrounds.

Highlights included an exhibition on Princess Catherine Duleep Singh and an exciting programme of events at Ancient House Museum in Thetford; an exhibition on Maharajah Duleep Singh at the Norfolk Record Office showcasing original artefacts from the Bance Collection; The Singh Twins: Slaves of Fashion exhibition at Firstsite in Colchester, and The Thetford Mela, the festival’s closing event that celebrated diversity with dance, music and performance.

The festival builds on the success of past projects, namely Punjab Cultural Heritage Day in 2021, the Festival of Norfolk of Punjab in 2019, and the Festival of Thetford & Punjab in 2018.

Alongside the Festival, we also developed the East of England Heritage Trail themed around places of interest related to the Duleep Singh family, for you to enjoy at your leisure. New additions include the resting place of Indian Princess Helen Rundeer Singh Ahluwalia of Kapurthala (Punjab) in Doddinghurst in Essex.

Read the full programme here:
Programme Festival of East Anglia and Punjab 2022