INDIA’S NORTH-EAST COMES TO LEBANON

EMBASSY OF INDIA, BEIRUT

PRESS RELEASE

INDIA’S NORTH-EAST COMES TO LEBANON

April 2015 saw the Narmada Cultural Organization performing classical and folk dances from the state of Manipur in the North-East of India in Beirut, Tripoli and Tyre.

The performances were presented by the Embassy of India, in collaboration with ADLIR (Association for the development of Lebanese Indian Relations), and with the Safadi Cultural Foundation in Tripoli and Tiyatro Istanbouli in Tyre.

The performances showcased Ras Leela, depicting the loves of Lord Krishna, and Draupadi’s Swayamwara (wedding) performed in the classical Manipuri dance style, both the Pung Cholam and Dhol Cholam drum dances, and an acrobatic “stick-balancing” display of coordination and control.

The shows attracted big audiences, and were  received enthusiastically by the spectators, who were enchanted by this revelation of a facet of Indian culture which they had never seen before.

Manipur is a small state in India’s North-East bordering Myanmar, and its cultural traditions as depicted in the Narmada Devi Troupe performances go back thousands of years. An Another interesting fact- the game of Polo was insipred by a Manipuri game called Pulu played with horses, sticks and a ball, which was adopted by British officers posted there and developed into today’s Polo.

Narmada Devi, who is the leader of the group, was born in 1968 in Imphal (capital of Manipur) and has spent a lifetime training in classical Manipur dance. She also had 5 years of theatre training under the guidance of Lokendro Arambam of the Aryan theatre and Ratan Thiyam of the Chorus Repertory Theatre. She and her group have performed widely in India and internationally.

For more photos and videos of the performances, go to:

India In Lebanon : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.808020919294030.1073741850.519820998114025&type=1

YouTube :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mYGdg-b42I&feature=youtu.be

LBC TV: http://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/209163/1504050527-lbci-news

Safadi Foundation, Tripoli : https://www.facebook.com/SafadiculturalC

Tyre: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/set=a.1097347153624319.1073742049.215960708429639&type=3