Bangladesh team performs at Kumbh dance & music fest
Times of India | 23 February 2025
12 Prayagraj: After the absence of Bangladesh's participation at the International Kolkata Book Fair this year and various other events in Bengal, the country's interim govt led by Mohammad Yunus has sent a troupe of dancers to perform at the 10th India-International Dance and Music Festival at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.
A troupe of six dancers from Bangladesh led by an assistant professor of Dhaka University arrived at Ganga Pandal, situated at Sector 1 of the Sangam area on Saturday. Along with 10 countries — India, Russia, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Fiji, Malaysia, Maldives, Vietnam, South Africa and Rwanda — they will participate in a two-day festival taking place over the weekend.
On the presence of Bangladesh at the festival, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) director-general K Nandini Singla said: "Culture never stops connections. Govts may come and go, politics may change, leaders may change, but the heart-to-heart connection does not fade because it is at the level of emotion. No political leader can come and change the way you look at another country, another culture fundamentally."
ICCR has a cultural exchange programme agreement with various countries, she explained, adding: "The sending party pays for the air fare, we take care of their local needs, including accommodation, transport and visas, among others."
The theme for the group performance on Saturday was Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole world is a family), choreographed by the renowned artiste Rani Khanam. It would be shown through 25,000 screens across Prayagraj and at the 13,000-sitting capacity pandal.
The assistant professor leading the Bangladeshi team said: "We are fortunate to be attending Maha Kumbh and are thankful to the Indian High Commission for the invitation."
Singla added that the theme reflected a "sangam of culture". "To perform here in Maha Kumbh where you have a confluence of three rivers creating divinity, their performance disseminates the core message of Maha Kumbh that we are all one," she said.
Bangladesh's participation in a cultural festival at Maha Kumbh came as a change to its past few absences at prominent festivals in Kolkata due to ongoing political turmoil. Apart from book fair, Bangladesh also did not take part in the Kolkata International Film Festival due to visa issues and political developments impacting cultural exchange.
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