Highlighting the cultural richness of India, the Indian Community Festival, A Passage to India, started at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park on Thursday. The two-day event is organised by the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) with guidance and support from the Indian embassy and MIA.
The event started with dance performances presented by various Indian community groups in Qatar.
The inaugural session that followed was attended by Indian ambassador P Kumaran and Qatari and other Indian dignitaries. The event will be held from 1pm to 11pm on Friday. A police dog show by Police Canine Section of the Ministry of Interior is scheduled from 4pm – 5pm.
It will showcase various skills of police dogs in finding bags containing drugs or explosives and identifying criminal offenders. Besides, visitors can listen to tips from Drugs Prevention Department, Al Fazaa Police and Coast Guard at 6.25pm, 8.30pm and 9pm, respectively.
A free shuttle bus is to run every 15 minutes to and from MIA Park from ICC and Family Food Centre, Airport Road. A replica of the famous Indian monument, Red Fort, is a key attraction. The four-metre-high and eight-metre-long model took 15 carpenters 13 days to complete. The task was undertaken by Viswakalavedi, an associate organisation of ICC.
All the apex bodies of the Indian embassy, such as the ICC, Indian Community Benevolent Forum, Indian Business & Professional Council, Indian Women’s Association, Bangiya Parishad Qatar, Rajasthan Pariwar Qatar, Qatar Tamizhar Sangam, Maharashtra Mandal Qatar and Cetaaq have presence in the festival.
