Windows to the World

HISTORY8217;S BIN 8226; The House of Soviet Culture, once a happening place for dance, music, films, with special tamashas on October 17, anniversary of the Russian Revolution. 8226; Embassy of Greece, a dashing presence on the India International Centre calendar in the 8217;70s, with films, concerts and talks, thanks to its fiery Cultural Counsellor, Mme Eliki Lascarides-Zannas. 8226; Italian Cultural Centre? Unseen for ages, though they used to do lovely Italian films and musical evenings. COME OUT AND PLAY! 8226; All Islamic countries. Only Lebanon has stirred so far, with a Kahlil Gibran evening. 8226; China! Great neighbour, be our friend, share your fabulous culture. So far, you8217;ve stuck to business. 8226; Africa, the rest of Asia, where are you? India hungers to know.

THE cultural calendar in India8217;s four major metros, especially New Delhi, would lack that cosmopolitan edge without the inputs of foreign cultural centres. Their profiles have changed, however, over the last 30 years. Some have fallen off the map because of domestic politics or lost track, others have cautiously begun poking their heads out of their shells while yet others chuff on serenely, their agendas assured and active. Here8217;s a ready reckoner of current status.

RULE, BRITANNIA!

Face it, our highest comfort levels are obviously with the Anglophone world. The British Council in India BCL, in turn, has been a rock-steady presence since Independence, though the Brits themselves would sneer at it once upon a time, as hopelessly incongruous in Asia and Africa 8216;8216;teaching Morris dances to the Zulus and Pathans8217;8217;. But while the head honcho, naturally, is imported from 8216;Home8217;, the dedicated efforts of desi culture boss Sushma Behl over the last 30 years have resulted in the best-planned and most-inclusive culture calendar of any mission, anywhere, with theatre, art, film, literature and dance featuring in brisk and varied succession. The premises too were made over 10 years ago into a more India-friendly space with an aangan courtyard and sandstone cladding on the walls, and inaugurated with satisfying symbolism by Chattisgrahi tribal dances from the heart of India Habib Tanvir8217;s troupe. The two biggest literary events of this season were both showcased at the British Council: Sir Vidia8217;s visit and Hari Kunzru8217;s debut, both of which received the ultimate accolade of being voted a terrible crush. It helps, too, that the current head, Edmund Marsden, and his pretty wife Megan, are liked in Delhi for their friendly ways. An Indian author was delighted at the LitFest when Marsden, as if reading his mind, described a well-known English literary agent as 8216;8216;straight out of PG Wodehouse8217;8217;. Comfort levels, did we say?

VIVE LA FRANCE!

The Alliance Francaise de Delhi is le deuxieme in the firangi culture club. The opening up of the French Embassy to Page Three dos like Ashish Soni8217;s fashion show sponsored by champagne brand Moet038;Chandon 8212; toujours le commerce! has bestowed on the Alliance a higher profile than 30 years of red and blue Mauger textbooks. But such fripperies notwithstanding, raise your glasses to the Alliance for its persistent screening of subtitled French films. The best of French cinema has come Delhi8217;s way Renoir, Goddard, Resnais.

SAKURA SAKURA

The Japan Cultural Centre has become one of the most active and high-profile centres in recent times, due no doubt to this being the golden jubilee of Indo-Japanese diplomatic ties. Restricted primly once to Ikebana photo-ops with Indian First Ladies and language classes, or a rare performance of Noh and Kabuki, the Japanese presence was more business-oriented than cultural. But they8217;ve taken off suddenly with Japanese versions of Kathak and Bharata Natyam, Okinawan dancers at Siri Fort and Taiko drummers! Japanese dos are also hugely popular for a more basic cultural reason: they serve the best food and the ebi tempura giant fried prawns vanish down Delhi8217;s belly faster than you can say 8216;8216;Arigato!8217;8217;

AMERICAN BEAUTY?

In the old days, Roosevelt House was where you went to hear piano recitals followed by supper while the American Center was the temple of great Hollywood movies that were never screened in local cinema halls. And 10, Amrita Shergil Marg, where the American Culture Boss lives, was happy host to a wide cross-section of the public for close encounters with living legends like dance mavens Merce Cunningham, Murray Louis, Alwin Ailey or the Martha Graham troupe. But leggy blonde Jacqueline Lundquist, wife of recent ambassador Richard Celeste, turned Roosevelt House into a never-ending Page Three mela of fashion shows. Her wardrobe grew while the American cultural profile nose-dived. Ambassador Blackwill, the man of the moment, has been getting acquainted with writers, scientists, economists, but the public has yet to benefit culturally. Meanwhile, Osama has turned the American Center into a fortress. But it was going downhill anyway. Its once-famous library didn8217;t even subscribe to Wired magazine.

SOUR KRAUTS

Germans are hugely unpopular in India because they are rude and mannerless, even at an embassy dinner. This, despite the German Festival in India last year, which had hazaar Tedesci running around: artists, museologists, Indologists and the perfect but emotionless Bavarian Ballet. The Max Mueller Bhavan, once a popular venue for German films where Indians went to pay 8216;8216;ill-tendered homage to Fassbinder8217;8217; as Vikram Seth has it is now a boring place that puts up the odd, dreary photo exhibit. Georg Lechner, its once-dynamic Director whom Sonal Mansingh once espoused was notable in the 8217;70s as a champion of Indian dance. But Lechner is now persona non grata with Indians because he tried to tell them how to dance at the East-West Encounter last year in Mumbai. Nor did German dancer Suzanne Linke win friends with her ignorant critique of our dance forms.