Fair and Square

While the line-up will witness over 2,000 performers,including dancers,musicians and theatre professionals,there will be over 50 events spread across 20 locations in the Capital. The opening day,today,includes a soft launch with The World Tea Party — a tea-brewing and presentation ritual from across the world— at the Russian Cultural Centre. There will also be cultural performances that include Kuchipudi dance by Swapnasundari and Odissi dance by Madhvi Mudgal and her troupe at the Meghdoot Theatre. A show titled Buddhatatvam by Parul Shah and her troupe will take place at the Azad Bhavan,IP Estate on the opening day. Later during the festival,Puran Bhatt will put his puppets on display in an exhibition too.

“When we started four years back,we had to convince people that a festival of this magnitude,in multiple venues is possible,but now that we have actualised it,they believe in us,” says Prahlad,who once again has the support of the Delhi government in the venture. “They are handling the advertising,” says Prahlad.

With preparations beginning more than a year back,deliberate effort was made to increase international participation — which has subsequently risen from sheer 20 per cent in 2009 to 60 per cent this year. “I want to build it as a platform that promotes dialogue between the countries. It provides an exposure to art from across the world,” says Prahlad. So among the highlights of the festival are Tales of the Body,a butoh performance (inspired by the Ankoku-butoh Movement in Japan) by Instituto Cervantes,Denmark’s Claris Anderson’s multimedia live literature performance and a performance by Okinawa’s folk ensemble from Japan. “We got an outstanding response with several groups wanting to participate,” shares Prahlad,pointing out that she had to turn away participants from at least 10 countries.