Indian art, culture and cuisine on display in three-day Abu Dhabi fest

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http://www.dailyindia.com/show/425561.php

Abu Dhabi, Feb 19(ANI): A three-day cultural and entertainment event is being organized at Abu Dhabi's Indian Social and Cultural Centre (ISC) to give a glimpse of Indian art, culture and cuisine to national and international tourists.

Indian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), M.K. Lokesh, had inaugurated the festival on Thursday.

Popular Indian musical maestro Balabhaskar, and artists from various Indian organizations based in the UAE are taking part in the event.

ISC President M. Thomas Varghese said that it was the first time that the centre has organized such a major event portraying the cultural elements from various parts of India.

"The event also portrayed cultural programmes and cuisines of some other Asian countries such as Sri Lanka and Indonesia," Gulf News quoted Varghese, as saying.

He also said that the ISC expects about 20,000 visitors to experience India's diversity. The festival received good response from the people. We expect more than 20,000 visitors when the event ends on Saturday evening," Varghese said.

 

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Public gets glimpse into Indian culture

Abu Dhabi: India Fest-2011, a three-day cultural and entertainment event at Indian Social and Cultural Centre (ISC) in the capital attracted thousands of visitors.

The event, which began on Thursday evening, is giving a glimpse of the Indian art, culture and cuisine to the capital residents.

"The festival received good response from the people. We expect more than 20,000 visitors when the event ends on Saturday evening," the organisers told Gulf News. "The event also portrayed cultural programmes and cuisines of some other Asian countries such as Sri Lanka and Indonesia," M. Thomas Varghese, honorary president of the ISC, said.

M.K. Lokesh, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, inaugurated the festival on Thursday evening.

Popular Indian musical maestro Balabhaskar and his team performed in a fusion music programme, followed by the inaugural ceremony.

Artists from various Indian organisations across the UAE performed in various programmes, representing India's cultural diversity, Varghese said. The entry fee is Dh10 but it is free for children of up to 13 years of age.

The entry ticket offers many attractive prizes including a saloon car (Florid) as the first prize.

The proceeds from the event will be utilised for the activities of the centre, the ISC official said.

Varghese said the organisation wanted to open its doors to all Indians who constitute the largest expatriate community in the capital and also in the UAE.

Facilities

More than 6,000 people (2,300 members and their families) are regularly using the five-storey ISC building, he said. "We want the large number of community members who are not members of the ISC to come and enjoy the facilities at the centre during the festival," Varghese said. ISC was established in 1967 and the centre has been active with its socio-cultural activities.

The organisers said they expect visitors from other communities which can experience the Indian culture and cuisines.

"We invited some other Asian embassies also to showcase their cultural programmes and cuisine in the festival, so that the Indian community can have a taste of other cultures as well," Varghese said.

He said it is the first time the centre has organised such a major event portraying the cultural elements from various parts of India.