Hyderabad: The 10-day Afghan food and cultural festival kicked off here on Thursday evening (April 1), with several artists coming together to put up enthralling dance and musical performances. The event also featured stalls featuring Afghan jewellery, dry fruits and carpets, among other things.
The event was inaugurated at the Trident hotel, Madhapur, where the 10-day festival will be held for its remainder. The food and cultural festival will showcase the bond and relations between India and Afghanistan. Afghanistan also aims to promote its country’s interests.
Through this event, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan also hopes to maintain good relations with southern states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Charu Das from the CD Foundation, which is organising the event, said that there is no better way than food for both India and Afghanistan to connect.
The festival started-off with Muhammad Suleman Kakkar speaking on improving trade relations with India. Then the consulate spoke on how India has supported with the rebuilding of huge infrastructure projects, education, health and agricultural projects.
The cultural diversity of Afghanistan was shown through a video about places in the nation, and the culture of the place. A fashion show of contemporary tribal dresses of Afghanistan, designed by Nadia Kakkar of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, was also held as part of the event.
The inaugural event also featured traditional dances – Kathak dance from India and ‘Qarsak’, a folk dance from the Panjsheer province from Afghanistan.
The festival is also hosting important trade meetings between buyers and sellers for various Afghan products like dry fruits, tea, handlooms etc. A workshop on India-Afghan trade relations has also been scheduled as part of the 10-day event and is targeted towards Indian entrepreneurs.
