Agra
gears up for Taj Mahotsava
Agra:
Preparations are on in full swing for the Taj Mahotsav,
the ten-day annual festival at Shilpgram near the Taj
Mahal. Bedecked elephants and camels, drum beaters, folk
artists and master craftsmen together would recreate the
glorious past of the Mughal era ambience during the carnival
that kickstarts every year on February 18. The Taj Mahotsav
will display the country's extensive arts, crafts and
culture besides folk music, and classical dance performances
as well as elephant and camel rides, games and a food
festival, all forming part of the festivities. "Our art,
culture, music, dance and other such heritage forms from
across India are showcased during this festival. Manipur's
traditional dance, classical music like Ghazals and Sufi
songs would also be there," said Shravan Kumar Sharma,
Commissioner, Agra. Organised by the state tourism department
every year to promote tourism in and around Agra, the
festival is truly India at her best with a glimpse of
her rich heritage and extraordinary legacies. "Agra has
been hosting the festival for years together now. The
festival finds a mention in both national and international
festivals. Tour operators promote this event and tourists
like to come here to take part in this festival year after
year," said Ashok Goyal, a district administrator. This
year, over 1500 artists would be performing during the
festival. There would be around 217 performances. State
authorities said the Taj festival has been designed to
be a complete tourism event in itself. Traditional folk
musicians, performing at the gateway to the "Shilpgram",
welcome the visitors. The majestic Taj Mahal forms the
backdrop of the festival. Feb 17, 2009
French national found dead in Delhi
hotel
New
Delhi: A 35-year old French national, Pinto, was found
dead in his room in Sun International hotel in Nabi Karim
in Delhi on Saturday. His friend Allen was also staying
with him.
-Feb
15, 2009
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