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PRESS RELEASE
On the eve of the “Festival of India in Kuwait”, H.E. Mr. Ajai Malhotra,
Ambassador of India to Kuwait, hosted a Reception on November 7 evening
that was attended by a wide range of eminent Kuwaiti dignitaries,
Ambassadors, and special invitees. Guests were welcomed by Onam drummers
from Kerala, besides witnessing folk dances from Punjab, Gujarat and
Manipur, whetting their appetite for the Festival that starts on
November 8.
Ambassador Malhotra recalled that India’s fascinating, diverse and
multi-dimensional, cultural heritage extended back more than 5,000
years, adding that “over the centuries every community had found a place
in the Indian crucible”. He described Indian culture as “amazingly rich,
deep-rooted, and multi-hued, with wide regional variety” and emphasized
that “India provides a picture of unity in diversity that is
unparalleled in the world”.
Ambassador Malhotra informed invitees that the “Festival of India in
Kuwait” is being co-hosted from November 8-14, 2009, by the Indian
Ministry of Culture and the National Council for Culture, Arts and
Letters, State of Kuwait. The planned events would provide glimpses of
performing arts and visual arts from various regions of India and give a
taste of India’s rich cultural heritage. He noted that the Festival
would further enrich the close partnership and traditional friendship
that unites Kuwait and India. Ambassador Malhotra hoped that the
Festival would also “lead to enhanced interest amongst Kuwaitis in
visiting different parts of India”.
The Festival of India will be held across multiple venues in Kuwait,
such as the Kaifan Auditorium, the Grand Mosque Auditorium, Al-Sadu
House, Al-Fanoon Hall, Discovery Centre, and the Avenues Mall. Several
world famous Indian musicians and dancers would be participating in the
Festival, which would also include displays brought from India of
contemporary art, folk art, textiles, photographs, calligraphy, dolls,
as well as puppet shows.
The performing arts events include a flute recital by Pandit Hari Prasad
Chaurasia, santoor recitals by Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, flute recitals
by Pandit Rajendra Prasanna, tabla recitals by Rimpa Siva, Odissi dances
by Ranjana Gauhar and her troupe, besides performances by exponents of a
wide variety of other Indian classical and folk dance styles. Seven top
dance troupes would be coming to Kuwait and the dance styles on display
would include, Manipuri Raas and Phung Cholam from Manipur, Oppanna
bridal dance from Kerala, festive warrior dances from Nagaland, Dandia
Raas and Garba from Gujarat, Chhau from Bengal, Gidda and Bhangra from
Punjab, as well as Odissi from Orissa. Glimpses of Kathakali from Kerala
would also be shown.
Visual arts on display include an Exhibition of Arabic Calligraphy and
an Exhibition of Indian Muslim Religious Posters and Calendar Art
brought from the famous Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, an Exhibition of
Indian Woven Textiles including Benaras and Kanjeevaram silk saris and
traditional shawls from Kutch, an Exhibition of Traditional Indian
Dolls, and an Exhibition of Photographs of Mumbai through the Ages. In
addition, Traditional and Shadow Puppet shows would be held, besides
demonstration of the weaving of Indian textiles, of Madhubani Folk Art,
and of the traditional art of Henna Application.
Ambassador Malhotra conveyed that about 130 artistes and artisans were
arriving in Kuwait from different parts of India to participate in the
Festival. Many of them are the foremost exponents in the world of their
particular art form. Moreover, several of the dance styles on display
have never before been seen in Kuwait.
All exhibitions are open to the public and have free entrance, while the
folk dance troupes would also perform for the public at the Avenues
Mall, where entrance is free. Only functions being held at the Kaifan
Auditorium would be by invitation [viz., the inaugural on November 8,
its repeat on November 9, as well as the music and dance evenings on
November 11 and 12, and a special event on November 14].
Kuwait
November 7, 2009
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