KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 – The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre (NSCBICC) and Gayatri Pariwar Malaysia organised a Deep Yagna (a prayer amid a sacred fire) and a cultural performance in conjunction with the Deepavali celebration last week.
The event, which had former Bar Council President Dato Ambiga Sreenevasan as guest of honour, welcomed close to 200 guests, comprising cultural enthusiasts, heads of performing art centres, artists and students to the NSCBICC in Brickfields here. The NSCBICC is the cultural arm of the High Commission of India in Malaysia.
The event is part of the Festival of Lights celebration, with focus given to the deeper significance of light over darkness and its healing power for mankind, said Hemant Verma, a member of Gayatri Pariwar Malaysia.
Apart from lighting up the diyas (oil lamp) and participating in the prayers, guests were also treated to a veena recital by Kalaimamani Jayalakshmi Sekhar, who was accompanied by Prathap Jegathesan on the mridangam and Geetha Krishnan on the tambura.
A confluence of rhythm featuring Kathak with Chinese drums took to the stage next, featuring Kathak dance master Dr. Nitin Shirale and his students, with Thong Yoong How and his students on the Chinese drums.
In her speech at the event, the Director of NSCBICC, Ramya Hiriyanniah, expressed her appreciation to the bond enjoyed by Malaysians and the Indian Cultural Centre, which currently provides music and dance lessons.
–WE