Tourism & Hospitality | Sunday 20 November, 2016 12:43 pm |

The region’s first ever Indian Fest, a four-day extravaganza of food, culture and entertainment established to celebrate the South Asian country, concluded yesterday (Saturday) at Al Qasba. Sharjah’s premier leisure, tourism and family destination hosted hundreds of visitors during the event, with families from India’s large expatriate community mingling with other visitors from a variety of cultural backgrounds, all keen to take a journey into the land’s rich heritage.

With folk dances, classic music, cultural performances and traditional foods on offer, the visitors to Indian Fest immersed themselves into the world of Indian culture, with the vibrant spirit of the country imbuing Al Qasba's walkways and open areas throughout the event. The festival helped open up the country to the multitude of attendees who were previously unfamiliar with it, helping them to gain a deeper insight into one of the world’s most ancient civilisations. 

The results of three cultural challenges held over the four days were also announced on the closing day of the festival. First place in the Senior Category of the Indian Dance Competition went to the dancing group led by Somna Tugnait, while second place was awarded to the dancing group led by Architha Gopan. In the Junior Category, first place went to the dancing group led by Arya Anilkumar and second place to the dancing group led by Chaitanya Vivek Sao. Finally, in the Rangoli Design competition, first place was given to Shevta Sachin Porwal’s group while Trupti Devdatta Sail’s group came in second.

Sultan Shattaf, Al Qasba Manager, said: “We take great pride in hosting a wide spectrum of artistic and entertainment activities throughout the year and Indian Fest is a prime example of celebrating the culture of one of the UAE’s most important partner countries. Through this four-days extravaganza we aimed to reinforce Al Qasba’s stature on the map of local and global tourism as one of the foremost destinations in the UAE attracting visitors from all nationalities and age groups.”

Shattaf stressed a main goal of organising Indian Fest was to introduce the multicultural community in the UAE to the rich heritage of India, including its dances, music, cuisine and various genres of art.    

Al Qasba is home to a range of world-class facilities and tourist attractions, including restaurants and cafes, the Kids Fun Zone, the Al Qasba Musical Fountain, the Eye of the Emirates Wheel, the Maraya Art Centre and two libraries, among other amenities designed to meet the needs of visitors of all ages and from all communities.