Egypt set to host India by the Nile, a showcase of Indian classical traditions

The mega annual cultural festival India by the Nile, organised to celebrate Indian culture and its diversity, will begin next week with a focus on classical culture this year. The 12-day event, the biggest foreign festival in Egypt, will host a wide range of events and starts on March 6.

The festival provides audiences an Indian cultural experience and encourages artistic collaborations between India and Egypt. It will be held in several cities such as Cairo, Alexandria and Port Said. “There is a big focus this year on classical culture which is very ancient like music, dance and yoga. But what we are also trying to do is to bring contemporary elements so we have a good mix of heritage aspects as well as the contemporary development,” said Sanjay Bhattacharyya, India’s Ambassador to Egypt.

He said the embassy had been working for almost a year to prepare for the festival. This year’s edition will host Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, who will perform in Cairo and Alexandria on March 8 and 10. “Amjad is the living legend of the Sarod. And to the contemporary flavour of music, we are getting a Sufi music band,” said Bhattacharyya.

The festival will also bring two new events, a fashion show and screening of Indian movies. “The fashion show is entirely a new item. Tarun Tahiliani is among the biggest fashion designers,” Bhattacharyya said.

The festival will also host a photography exhibition by Khaled Gawdat, a doctor with a special interest in India. He will exhibit photographs taken during his visits to India. For Indian food lovers, a six-day event will be held from March 10. Indian celebrity chef Vikram Udaygiri will curate an Indian fine dining menu ranging from the country’s vast cuisine repertoire and introduce Indian whiskey to pair with the food.

Bollywood choreographer Gilles Chuyen will host multiple dance workshops in Cairo, Alexandria and Port Said. The festival will also feature seminars on Indian tea, economic cooperation between India and Egypt, as well as on yoga and well-being. Indian and Egyptian experts in yoga and alternative healing will share their experiences at various venues in Cairo, Alexandria and Port Said.

The festival, which is organised by the Embassy of India in Egypt and the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture in collaboration with Teamwork Arts, is a celebration of contemporary and classical music, dance, theatre, visual arts, film, food and literature.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more