The state government will soon release a book on the life of tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh in four different languages - Punjabi (Gurmukhi script), English, Hindi and Urdu - art, culture and youth affairs minister Shiv Chandra Ram said on Thursday.

The department is also organising cultural programmes at eight places - including SK Memorial Hall, Bharatiya Lalit Kala Akademi, Premchand Rangshala and Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries - from December 31 to January 5. Ram said the inaugural day programme would be held at SK Memorial Hall, where a two-day programme would be organised on December 31 and January 1.

"Punjabi classical artiste Bibi Ashupreet Kaur, who has mastered khayal gayaki, dhrupad artiste Raghuveer Mallick and rudraveena artiste Vidushi Jyoti Hegde would perform apart from Bhai Balbir Singh Ragi," Ram said. "Ragi happens to be an exponent of Guru Granth Sahib kirtans and performs at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Kathak artiste Rajendra Gangani will also perform."

Six films on the life of Guru Gobind Singh and Sikhism would be screened at Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries on January 3 and January 4. The Bihar State Film Development Corporation Limited is organising it. "An art exhibition on Sikhism would be organised at Bihar Lalit Kala Akademi premises from January 1 to January 5," Ram said.

Bhajans and gurbaani would be performed at a programme Anaadi Foundation would organise at SK Memorial Hall from January 1 to January 5. Bharatiya Nritya Kala Mandir, Ravindra Bhavan and Premchand Rangshala will host cultural programmes from January 1 to 5. The Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre will organise Bharat Lok Rang Mahotsav at Bharatiya Nritya Kala Mandir.

Artistes from five different states would perform in their own language at the programme organised by North Central Zone Cultural Centre, Allahabad, at Rabindra Bhavan. Christened "Rang-e-Bahar", the programme at Premchand Rangshala will showcase performances based on Bihar based folk art, theatre, music and dance forms.

Punjab Digital Library will showcase an exhibition on the life of Guru Gobind Singh beginning December 30.