Large crowds throng Indian Embassy’s Dussehra fest in Beijing

Over 1,800 people, including a large number of Beijing-based diplomats, Chinese and members of the Indian diaspora, took part in a cultural fest organised by the Indian Embassy here to celebrate the Dussehra festival.

The sprawling lawn of the India House here turned into a noisy market on Sunday as families of Indian diplomats and a large number of Indian diaspora took up 28 makeshift stalls put up by the embassy to sell a wide variety of Indian artefacts, carpets and ethnic and fusion food.

Embassy officials said that over 1,800 people attended the various events at the fest organised to celebrate Dussehra, which falls on October 15 this year.

Proceeds of the homemade candles, a stall put up by the embassy’s Spouses Club, which attracted a big crowd, would go to charities, Dolly Misri, wife of Indian Ambassador Vikram Misri said.

The cultural performance included Bharatanatyam performance by noted Chinese Bharatanatyam exponent Jin Shanshan and her daughter Jessica, Kathak and Bollywood dances by Cindy and Du Juan, Kuchipudi dance by Dikhitha, Tamil folk songs by Anjana and Mrudula, Rajasthan folk dances by Divya and Namratha, besides demonstration of Yoga postures by students from local Indian Yoga schools.

Beijing-based diplomatic corps, officials of Chinese think tanks and members of the Indian diaspora also attended special cultural performance, including a skit on Ramayana scripted and directed Drashan Naik, fireworks display and setting of the image of Ravana on fire.