India festival in Brussels in October

Brussels, July 6 (UNI) With its international profile going up a few notches in recent years, India is all set to take its rich cultural heritage to hitherto unexplored European territories like Belgium.

Come October 7 and India will launch a major Indian Cultural Festival lasting more than four months in this capital city of Brussels that would present a clear picture of the country's rich and pluralistic culture and its contemporary creativity.

The focus of the "Festival of India in Belgium" is to enhance the cultural profile of the country in Europe in general, and Brussels in particular, given the fact that the city is the headquarter of the European Union (EU) and the seat for many of the high-profile European institutions, the organisers here say.

The festival would encompass a variety of disciplines around a central exhibition titled "Tejas" (radiance).

"It is not just India's booming economy that is attracting worldwide interest. The country also offers an age-old culture and a new vision of the world," the organisers told a group of visiting Indian journalists.

The Festival comes at a time when there is a tremendous interest about India in Europe. India was the 'partner country' for the famous Hannover Trade Fair in April and the 'theme country' for the Bonn Biennale in May, and will be the 'guest of honour country' for the Frankfurt Book Fair in October.

India is also leaving no stone unturned to make the festival a truly historic event.

The Brussels Festival will be organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with Belgium's Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR). It will also consist of a series of other events, including performing arts, a fashion show, a film festival, a food festival, an exhibition on contemporary Indian art, several photographic exhibitions, theatre and folk arts.

During various events, an attempt would be made to showcase, through some of the best artists and creative minds from India, the immense richness and diversity of India's ancient, plural and composite culture.

Some of the popular Bollywood films will also be exhibited during the festival. Many Bollywood stars and singers, including Asha Bhonsle, are expected to render performances.

UNI/AT/VA RS1215