Hyderabad: The ten-day Afghan Food and Culture Festival kicked off here on Thursday evening (April 1), with several artists coming together to deliver captivating dance and music performances. The event included stalls with Afghan jewelery, dried fruit and rugs.
The event was inaugurated at the Trident Hotel, Madhapur, where the ten-day festival is being held for the rest. The food and culture festival shows the bond and relations between India and Afghanistan. Afghanistan also aims to advance its country’s interests.
Through this event, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan also hopes to maintain good relations with southern states such as Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Charu Das of the CD Foundation, which organizes the event, said there is no better way than food for both India and Afghanistan to join.
The festival started with Muhammad Suleman Kakkar talking about improving trade relations with India. Then the consulate spoke about how India has supported the reconstruction of major infrastructure projects, education, health and agriculture projects.
The cultural diversity of Afghanistan was shown through a video about places in the country and the culture of the place. A a fashion parade of contemporary tribal dresses from Afghanistan, designed by Nadia Kakkar of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, was also held as part of the event.
The first event also featured traditional dances – Kathak dance from India and ‘Qarsak’, a folk dance from the Panjis Province from Afghanistan.
The festival also hosts important trade meetings between buyers and sellers for various Afghan products, such as dried fruit, tea, towels, etc. A workshop on India-Afghan trade relations was also scheduled as part of the 10-day event and is aimed at Indian entrepreneurs.
Source: The Siasat Daily