Delhi to showcase India through fests to herald Games

NEW DELHI - As Delhi hosts the biggest sporting event in its history, the national capital will also showcase over the next two months the best of dance, music, theatre and art across the city, with exclusive performances planned for visitors at the Commonwealth Games Village.

The ‘Delhi Celebrates’ event, which will have performances by some of the best names in Bollywood - Javed Akhtar, Udit Narayan, Shabana Azmi, Kumar Sanu - and rock bands, as well as classical and qawwali by well known personalities, has been planned to showcase India’s cultural heritage to the visitors.

The nearly two month-long festival, which began Sep 3, will have a ‘Festival of India’ showcasing the best of cultural events of all the states and union territories and conclude Nov 4, Delhi Tourism managing director Rina Ray said at a function.

Ray said leading musical bands showcasing the most “popular and vibrant” music trends of India will be presented exclusively to residents of the Games Village from Oct 1-13.

A programme ‘Jashn-e-Delhi’, plays like ‘Kaifi aur Main’, featuring Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi, will be staged. An exhibition of books on Commonwealth countries will be held as well as movies on Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru screened.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said some places across the capital have been marked as venue for these festivals.

Quiz programmes for school students, Moon-Venus carnival, exhibition on the history of the city, ‘Bhakti Utsav’ to showcase devotional music in its myriad forms and an International Festival featuring artists from SAARC and Commonwealth countries will also be the focus during the period.

The Commonwealth Games will be held Oct 3-14 in the Indian capital.