Ministry of culture launches webpage for ‘Festival of India’ in China
ETW Staff– Mumbai
Ravindra Singh, secretary, union ministry of culture has launched the logo, posters and webpage for the Festival of India in China which will be celebrated from May 2014 to March 2015. They were simultaneously launched in Beijing by Ashok K Kantha Ambassador of India to Beijing.
Speaking on the occasion, Ravindra Singh said that pursuant to the mutual understanding reached during the visit of the Chinese premier Li Keqiang to India in May 2013 and that of prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to China in October 2013, the year 2014 was designated as the India-China year of friendly exchanges. As part of the year of friendly exchanges, ministry of culture in collaboration with the ministry of external affairs and the Embassy of India in Beijing, along with the consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, are organising the Festival of India in 12 cities in China.
A 75 member Indian delegation led by secretary culture would be visiting China in the first two circuits beginning May 7, 2014.
The Festival of India in China covers a wide-range of events showcasing Indian performing arts, exhibitions of modern Indian art, visual and photographic exhibitions on Buddhist heritage of India and its links with China, food festivals, and film festivals, as well as events involving eminent Indian and Chinese scholars and writers. Business and tourism promotion events will also constitute key components of the festival. Ministry of culture institutions namely Kalakshetra Foundation, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Sangeet Natak Akademy, Kathak Kendra, National Gallery of Modern Art, Sahitya Akademy would be participating in the festival’s events. In addition the ministry of information and broadcasting, department of Ayush and the ministry of tourism would be participating in the film festival, yoga festival and food festival.
The Festival of India in China will be celebrated in four circuits, circuit one covering Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing and Chengdu; Circuit two will cover Beijing, Kunming, Dali and Shenzen; Circuit three will cover Lhasa, Urumqui, and Hangzhou and Circuit four will cover Chongquing, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
The classical dance program of Kalakshetra will cover the following; Krishna Leela, Kolkali, Suppada, excerpts from Meenakshi Vijayam, Kalinga Narthanam and Thillana. The Sangeet Natak Akademy would be presenting a new composition by senior choreographer Madhavi Mudgal comprising of six dance forms representing the diversity of India’s culture Bharatanatyam of Tamil Nadu (and the rest of southern India); Kathak, preeminently the dance of northern India; Odissi, from Odisha in eastern India; Manipuri from Manipur, the north-eastern state of India; Kathakali of Kerala at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula.
