Indian cultural festival kicks off with traditional dance performance

By Park Sae-jin Posted : October 2, 2024, 15:32 Updated : October 7, 2024, 09:14
Kuchipudi artist Sreelakshmy Govardhanan and her group of seven dancers – Aishwarya Ramakrishnan, Aiswarya Ramnadh, Karthika Menon, Kavya Harish, Mintu John Baby, Souparnika Nambiar, and Tushara Meleppattu – perform at the Sarang Festival, an inaugural Indian cultural festival, held at the Yonsei University Centennial Hall on Oct. 1, 2024. AJP Kim Dong-woo
SEOUL, October 2 (AJP) - The "Sarang Festival," a nine-day Indian cultural event hosted by the Indian Embassy to Korea, began on Tuesday with a traditional Kuchipudi dance performance by artists from the Avanthika Space for Dance, a renowned arts institute based in Kerala, Southern India.

Kuchipudi, a classical dance form from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, is known for its graceful movements, expressive storytelling, and combination of dance, drama, and music. The dance often portrays stories from Indian mythology, particularly from epic tales like the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

 

Visitors to the Sarang Festival, an inaugural Indian cultural festival, pose for a selfie in front of a photo wall at the Yonsei University Centennial Hall on Oct. 1, 2024. AJP Kim Dong-woo

Typically, Kuchipudi performances feature solo dancers or groups acting out various characters, accompanied by live music and intricate footwork. Tuesday's event attracted an audience of about five hundred people, including foreign diplomats, lawmakers, scholars, and the families and friends of the embassy.
 

Indian Ambassador to Korea Amit Kumar speaks during an opening speech at the Sarang Festival, an inaugural Indian cultural festival, held at the Yonsei University Centennial Hall on Oct. 1, 2024. AJP Kim Dong-woo

"The name of Sarang means love in Korean and signifies colorful and diversity in Hindi. It perfectly captures the spirit of this festival," Indian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Amit Kumar said during his opening speech at Yonsei University's Centennial Hall.

Sreelakshmy Govardhanan and her group of seven dancers -- Aishwarya Ramakrishnan, Aiswarya Ramnadh, Karthika Menon, Kavya Harish, Mintu John Baby, Souparnika Nambiar, and Tushara Meleppattu -- performed five dances inspired mainly by traditional folklore and Hindu religious themes.
 

Kuchipudi artist Sreelakshmy Govardhanan and her group of seven dancers – Aishwarya Ramakrishnan, Aiswarya Ramnadh, Karthika Menon, Kavya Harish, Mintu John Baby, Souparnika Nambiar, and Tushara Meleppattu – perform at the Sarang Festival, an inaugural Indian cultural festival, held at the Yonsei University Centennial Hall on Oct. 1, 2024. AJP Kim Dong-woo

According to Ambassador Kumar, the Kuchipudi troupe's tour includes stops in Seoul (Oct. 1 and 7), Ansan, Gyeonggi Province (Oct. 2), Gwangju (Oct. 3), Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province (Oct. 4), Nami Island (Oct. 5-6), and Busan (Oct. 8-9).

The festival will also feature award-winning and critically acclaimed Indian films with Korean subtitles for cinema lovers in Korea. The embassy will screen six Indian films -- Bahubali: The Beginning (2015), Bahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017), Dangal (2016), Gulmohar (2023), Kantara (2022), and Piku (2015).
 

Kuchipudi artist Sreelakshmy Govardhanan and her group of seven dancers – Aishwarya Ramakrishnan, Aiswarya Ramnadh, Karthika Menon, Kavya Harish, Mintu John Baby, Souparnika Nambiar, and Tushara Meleppattu – perform at the Sarang Festival, an inaugural Indian cultural festival, held at the Yonsei University Centennial Hall on Oct. 1, 2024. AJP Kim Dong-woo

For the first time, the embassy will also participate in this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) to showcase India's vibrant cinema industry and promote the country as a potential filming destination.

Park Sae-jin

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