Coverage in Korea Times
Indian Diwali Festival 2005
Members of the Bhangra Dance Troupe perform during the Indian Diwali Festival 2005 at the Grand Hilton Seoul. Korea Times Photo by Kim Ju-sung.
By Yoon Won-supStaff Reporter
Over 500 people got together to celebrate the ``Indian Diwali Festival 2005’’ at the Convention Hall of the Grand Hilton Seoul last Saturday.
The festival, organized by the Indian Women’s Club dubbed ``Annapurna,’’ offered a perfect place for guests to enjoy the Diwali or ``festival of lights,’’ one of most important events for Hindus with traditional Indian dance performances, Indian food, henna tattoos, bangles and dances by all participants.
``The purpose of this gala dinner is to let Korea and India get closer culturally because Korea is a very well-known country in India,’’ Geetha Parthasarathi, president of Annapurna and wife of Indian Ambassador to Seoul N. Parthasarathi, said. ``So I’d like to enhance cultural relations to help us to know each other.’’
Diwali is a festival to light small oil lamps and place them around the home in courtyards, verandahs and gardens as well as on rooftops and outer walls to drive away darkness. The explosion of fireworks, an integral part of Diwali, is meant to abolish all evil and turn night into day, according to Annapurna.
Before the main program guests enjoyed a one-hour cocktail session where two henna artists drew intricate henna designs on the palms or arms of visitors while a bangle designer offered delicate glass bangles in various hues.
Then came the traditional opening of the Diwali festival: Indian Ambassador Parthasarathi and his wife lit the lamp to bring light into the darkness. Indian people celebrate the victorious return of Prince Rama (an incarnation of God Vshnu) to his hometown Ayodhya after defeating the evil Demon King Ravana on this day.
Delicious Indian cuisine and wines also impressed diners, who came from the diplomatic and business communities, and the government. To give the yearly event an authentic taste of Indian food, Annapurna invited two renowned Indian chefs from India to cook dishes in cooperation with chefs from the hotel.
Among other things, the traditional Indian dances performed by the members of the Bhangra Dance Troupe were most acclaimed by the audience as they first showed such lively dances for two hours, and then mingled with guests far into the night.
It is a popular folk dance from rural Punjab, a northern state in India, a cradle in the 4,000-year-old Indus Valley Civilization with five rivers. The Bhangra is known as one of the most virile forms of Indian folk dance, reflecting the energetic spirit of Punjab.
Live auction of travel packages to India and raffle draws followed the performances by the dance troupe
The Bhangra Dance Troupe will hold performances at three different universities in Seoul this week. There is one today at 11am at Sookmyung University. Tomorrow there will be one at Yonsei University at 11 a.m. and another at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies at 6 p.m.
Membership of Annapurna, comprising of the wives of Indian diplomats and residents in Korea, is open to any Indian women living or working in the nation.
Those who want to join the club can get information from the Indian Embassy in Seoul by calling (02) 798-4257.
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