Opening of the Nrityaanjali Festival by Ambassador Debabrata Saha

17 May, 2006

Welcome to Nrityaanjali.

We have the honour to have with us today the First Lady, Mrs. Katerina Yuschenko. Let me, on behalf of the organizers, the Indian Embassy, and everyone here welcome you, Madam, most warmly to this evening of Indian dance and music. We appreciate your gracious gesture in sparing the time to be here with us to celebrate our shared passion for these art forms, as much as to celebrate Indo-Ukrainian friendship - which is the main inspiration for this festival. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Madam Nina Tarasuik for being with us this evening, and for providing inspiration to the artists who have come from different parts of the world.

Art is universal, they say, even if its expression might take myriad forms. The classical Indian dances that we will be privileged to watch this evening - and throughout the three day festival - would be rendered by artists who have come together here in Kyiv from different parts of the world - from Ukraine and India, and from France, Russia, the United States, Germany and Malaysia.

Classical Indian dance is an exquisite spiritual and artistic expression of a human being's deep feelings and emotions. Shiva, the eternal Nataraja, personifies cosmic rhythm in its endless movement. No ceremony, no ritual, no festivity is complete in traditional India without music and dance. There are innumerable allusions to and descriptions of dances in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Indian sculptures derived much of their inspiration from dance.

Cultural ties between India and Ukraine are an important part of the relations between our two countries. It is truly heartening to find that people in Ukraine are so receptive to different facets of Indian art and culture. There are interesting similarities sprinkled across the cultural spectrum. In a seminar held at the University today, a learned scholar, Prof. Nalyvaiko, informed us about the large body of evidence pointing to the fact that despite the geographical distance, India and Ukraine, have a special kinship.

Nakshatra, the Theatre of Indian Dance, the organizers of Nrityaanjali, epitomize our cultural affinity. This festival is a labour of love of this small group of committed Ukrainians, supported by the Indian community in this country.