The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) concluded the activities of the Indian Festival, which was organized by Katara and in cooperation with the Embassy of India. Over two days, people had a sense of India through the various events and activities presented in the festival.
Opposite of Katara Amphitheatre, there were 40 stalls that exhibited different products and services to the visitors of the Cultural Village. There were a wide range of handicrafts, clothes, tasty Indian food, and a henna tattoo stall which was highly valued by young girls, which is considered a sign of joy, celebration, and style in India.
One of the stalls represented Karnataka State, where different Sari designs and stunning photography of India. Ponjaya State stall exhibited portraits and other products of painting on glass and silk which summons the journeys of silk and spices to India.
The traditional clothes of India, varying from Sari and Punjabi in different bright colours, reflected the culture and heritage of India. There were also portraits of Yoga, which is not only a sport to Indians, but also a means to mind-clarity and relaxation.
The Indian cuisine had a remarkable presence in the festival and attracted the Indian food lovers, some of these dishes were Masala Dosa, Tandori Chicken, Jalebi, Hyderabad Biryani, Indian Naan bread, Indian Kebab, Puri bread, and Indian Tikka chicken.
The Indian community presence with their traditional clothes added brilliance and beauty to the festival and looked as a piece of Mumbai, New Delhi, or Kerala.
People in Katara Amphitheatre were entertained with folkloric shows and different Indian dances. The dances were like a complete picture where beauty was in the coordination of dancers’ moves and their traditional and bright clothes. In India, dancing is correlated with happy occasions and official celebrations and has social significance. Each dance conveys a specific story, and each state has special dances, clothes, and music. The Indian music has multi-identities, genres, instruments that make it different special in the world.
The festival presented a similar model of the Indian gate; which is a national edifice and a massive war monument in the heart of New Delhi, India. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and was built between 1921 and 1931 with a shape of triumphal arch. The gate was built to commemorate the 90,000 Indian soldiers in the British-Indian army, who sacrificed their lives in World War I and the Afghan War for the Indian Empire.
The Indian Gate was originally opposite to King George IV Statue, which was moved to a public park after independence. The site turned into a site of the Indian army as memorial tomb of the Unknown Soldier which is known as Amar Jawan. The monument is 42 meters high and located in a major square in New Delhi on a cross-road for transportation.