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Press Release on Namaste France -Cultural Festival of India in France, 2010 – 2011
India launches it’s Cultural Festival – Namaste France – on April 14, 2010. The festival will start with Aadi Nritya – a dance tableau presented by the Mallika Sarabhai and the Darpana Academy troupe. It will be held in the Musee du Quai Branly against the backdrop of exhibition of indigenous Indian arts – “The Other Masters of India” – at the museum and festival will close with the exhibition of original paintings of the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore in the Museum of Modern Arts during May-July 2011.
“Namaste France” follows “Bonjour India” – the French Cultural Festival held in India from November 2009 to February 2010. The two festivals are being implemented under a Bilateral Cultural Exchange Programme and the Declaration signed between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) (the Culture body of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of France. ICCR and Embassy of India in Paris and CulturesFrance are the implementing agencies of the Festival.
Press Release - Embassy of India, PARIS
15, Rue Alfred Dehodencq
Paris, 75016
Presenting the dynamic and ever-evolving culture of India, the 15 month long Indian festival in France will bring to people of France a comprehensive package of Indian culture including dance, music, literature, theatre, painting, sculpture, cinema, cinema-based spectacles, gastronomy, fashion, yoga and Ayurveda, a variety reflecting the Indian ethos that is deep rooted in its traditions and at the same time continuously experimenting and adapting to modernity. The Festival that begins with the exhibition of indigenous art and Aadi Nritya and ends with an exhibition of paintings by Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel Laureate displays the journey of evolving and adapting Indian culture.
The Festival’s highlights are:
- Art and craft exhibitions including exhibition of indigenous Indian arts at museum of Quai Branly; exhibition of original paintings of Rabindranath Tagore in museum of Modern Arts; Exhibition on the city of Luknow in Musee Guimet; exhibition of royal costumes at the Yves Saint Laurent Foundation; photographic exhibition, on the steps wells of Patan at the museum of Asiatic Arts, Biarritz; exhibition of contemporary arts in Centre Pompidou; Kalpana – exhibition of digital representations of contemporary art from India in Morlaix, Lyon…
- Literary events – Exchanges between the visiting Indian poets and authors and the French poets and authors; release of the first of seven volume publication on Ramayana illustrated in miniatures, exchange between the contemporary Indian and French authors and poets…
- Dance, music and theatre – The festival begins with Aadi Nritya – Les danses autochtones –by Mallika Sarabhai and a troupe of the Darpana Academy followed by performances of noted artists from India representing classical, folk and popular dance and music forms through out the festival. These include performances by Ms Malvika Sarukkai (Bharatnatyam), Ms Preeti Patel (Manipuri), Ranjana Gauhar (Odissi), Rukimini Chatterjee (Bharatnatyam & Fusion), Pandit Jasraj (Hindustani Vocal), Meeta Pandit and Mushkur Ali (Hindustani Vocal), Dr. Mustafa Raza (Vichitra veena), Ustad Shujat Hussain (Sitar), Kamal Sabri (Sarangi), O.S. Arun (Carnatic Vocal), Vijay Venkateshwar and T.V. Gopala Krishnan (Carnatic Vocal), Pandit Bhajan Sapori (Santoor); Bhangra, Giddha, Bihu folk dances…
- Indian Cinema – Indian films of all genre will be presented in film festivals and cities around France. The festivals include a include retrospective of Satyajit Ray films at the Indian Summer in the Musee Guimet; retrospective of Ritwik Ghatak films at film festival of Marseille; films by young Indian directors in Festival of contemporary films in La Rochelle, Heritage films at the festival in Auberville, Bollywood films at the festival in Guadeloupe…
- Bollywood Spectacles – Bollywood spectacles at Cite de la Musique, Guadeloupe and many more related events…
- Other events include gastronomy weeks in Paris and Biarritz, yoga and Ayurveda workshops in Normandy, Lyon and Paris, exchange between the journalists of two countries, culture and incredible India campaigns, fashion events....
- Indian Festival in the regions – Cultural festivals could be enjoyed in Lyon, Morlaix (Brittany), La Rochelle, Strasbourg, Saint Tropez, Marseille, Auberville, Biarritz, and Guadeloupe.
The principal Indian partners in the festival are the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs (Publicity Division) and Ministry of Culture and Indian Diaspora in France. The principal French partners are CulturesFrance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Mairie de Paris. Mairie of Lyon, La Rochelle, Strasbourg, Saint Tropez, Auberville, and Regional Council of Guadeloupe are other public partners. Significant events partners include Museum of Quai Branly, Museum of Modern Arts and Musee Cernuschi of the City of Paris, Musee Guimet, Museum of Asiatic arts (Biarritz), Hotel du Palais, Biarritz, Festival d’Automne, Festival l’Imaginaire, Cite de la Musique, Yves Saint Laurent Foundation, Bharati, Maison de Metallois, Jeanine Roze Production, Tapovan, Diane de Selliers Publishing house, Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency, Film Festivals – La Rochelle & Marseille, Indian associations in Lyon, Guadeloupe, Strasbourg, Paris, Normandy and local cultural associations in Marseille and Morlaix, Corporate agencies including Bouvet Ladubay and Media as Radio France International, L’Express, Inde-en-ligne…
