Twelve days of Indian culture in Argentine capital

BUENOS AIRES - From beautiful textiles to classical dance and the best of Indian cusine, the Argentine capital will host 12 days of Indian culture in a big way next month that will see several Argentine artists showcasing their proficiency in Indian dance and music too.

The first day of the Festival of India Nov 4 will be marked by inauguration of a handicrafts exhibition by Indian Textile Secretary Rita Menon followed by a formal gala launch in the evening. Argentine Industries Minister Debora Giorgi will be chief guest at the launch of the third annual edition of the festival in Argentina.

There are several highlights to the festival including an open air performance on May Avenue, one of Buenos Aires’ famous avenues, which will be closed for traffic Nov 7.

An Indo-Argentine animation film “Gaturro” will also be shown on the same day as part of an event called Children’s Festival of India.

The Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) will be sponsoring a 10-member Odissi classical dance troupe, as well as a Goan folk dance group. Top Indian chefs will whip delicious dishes for the food festival being held at the Sheraton in Asuncion.

“But, besides them, most of the participants in the festival will be Argentines, who will be showcasing their expertise in Indian dance, music, literature and philosophy. The speakers in all the seminars will be Argentine experts and the photos in the photo exihibition were all taken by Argentines to demonstrate their idea of India,” said R. Viswanathan, Indian ambassador to Argentina.

The main venue of the festival is the Borges Cultural Centre, the most prestigious cultural venue in the whole of Argentina. Its strategic location in the same building which has an upmarket shopping mall attracts thousands of visitors every day.

“With such a variety and intensity of activities, the Argentines are going to celebrate the festival and India will be the talk of the town in the coming days,” Viswanathan added.

A business seminar on the last day will be attended by a 50-member business delegation from India, along with 250 Argentine participants. The Confederation of Indian Industry chief mentor Tarun Das will be the keynote speaker, with Argentine minister Giorgi as the chief guest.

The Indian delegation will also take part in a three-day Autoparts exhibition at the end of Festival of India. An Argentine-India polo match will be an addition to the festival this year.