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The Festival of Indian Culture

The Festival of Indian Culture was held at the beautiful Palace of Culture "Pobeda (Victory)", Moscow Region. The festival was jointly organized by Brahma Kumaris (Moscow), Committee Culture and Tourism, Ramenski Municipal District, Moscow Region, Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre (JNCC) of the Embassy of India, Moscow and Indian National Cultural Centre "SITA" (Moscow). Aim of organizing such an event was to give a glimpse of the History and Culture of India to the mass.

The administration and the entire creative team of the Palace of Culture warmly welcomed the guests. The program of the festival was very intense and designed for the whole day. The guests of the festival had the opportunity to participate in various master classes. The first master class on Hatha yoga immediately gathered many people who wanted not only to listen, but also to test themselves as a Hatha yogi. There were also wonderful master classes on playing the Indian national drum (Tabla) and learning traditional dance in the style of "kathak". Master classes were conducted by teachers from JNCC. The lecture by BK Olga Smirnova about the deities and temples of India aroused great interest.

Many guests were specially attracted by the lecture on Raja Yoga by BK Sudha Didi, Director, Brahma Kumaris (Moscow). In her speech Didi elaborated the causes of sadness and suffering of people. She further suggested the remedies and gave methods to lead a happy life. At the end of the lecture, Didi conducted meditation that made everyone present at the lecture feel that they were all children of God – happy and joyful, beloved and lucky in all aspects.

The photo exhibition by BK Ludmila Petukhova immersed the guests of the festival in the atmosphere of such a distant and so close India. The exhibition was very much liked by both the guests and the organizers, and the author deservedly received gratitude from the Administration of the Palace of Culture "Pobeda".

Greetings were extended at the opening ceremony of the festival by Sudha Didi, Mrs. Nina Guskova, Dy. Chairman, Committee, Culture and Tourism, Ramenski Municipal District, Moscow Region, Mr. Igor Shilov, Deputy Director of the Palace of Culture, Ms. Tatiana Kuznetsova, Head of the Literary and musical living room of the Palace of Culture, Mr. Manoj Kotwani, President of the Indian National Cultural Center "Sita" and others.

At the concert, Indian items were followed by Russian dances by the members of the Palace of Culture and by the students of Brahma Kumaris. The news of the programme was telecasted by Ramenskoye Television, Moscow Region.

Despite the fact that the Indian festival, Raksha Bandhan, is celebrated in August, the guests were happy to accept an Indian amulet as a gift – the sacred thread of rakhi. Guests received blessing card and also a spiritual book as a gift. The game "Virtuescope" attracted both adults and, especially, children.

Besides all above, the happy guests of the festival also had the opportunity to taste dishes of the national cuisine of India, buy Indian tea, spices, Indian products, souvenirs. Many women were interested in having Mehndi on their hands. At the end of the festival, a film from the history of India was shown.