Artist's Jaipur fetish

Be it Egyptian, Swiss, Mauritian or Belgian, international artists from across the globe are queuing up to perform in Jaipur. JT tells you why
A 13-member group of Egyptian performers are in India to showcase their dance and music in various cities across India, and it is Jaipur that they have chosen as their first destination for putting up a performance.And officials of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) say that there is are some good reasons why Jaipur is emerging as a preferred destination even for international performers. ���For the last couple of years, Jaipur is being viewed as the next hot destination for hosting international events,��� says Anil Pawar, regional officer of ICCR, Rajasthan.
He cites reasons such as Jaipur���s proximity to Delhi, as also its presence on the international map as a prominent tourist destination as the rationale for international artists looking to perform here. ���Moreover, the state has a long history of being rich in art and culture, so foreigners love coming here,��� adds Pawar. Agrees cultural expert of the state Tripti Pandey, ���Performing in different destinations gives the performers a chance to travel as well, and Jaipur being a hot tourist destination, attracts foreign performers. Moreover they know that in Jaipur they will find people who share the same kind of interest about music, dance and other cultural activities they do.���
In fact, be it performers from Egypt, Switzerland or Mauritius, the common reaction from all of them have been that they find Jaipurites very receptive to their performances. ���After reaching here we have realised how well the people of Jaipur understand our culture and tradition. This is evident from the fact that they find no difficulty in associating themselves with us,��� says Maher Kamal, the head of the group of Egyptian performers. In fact, so overwhelmed were the Swiss ballet dancers who performed in Jaipur, a couple of months back, that they flaunted bandhani dupattas even as they performed to the songs of Manganyer singers of Rajasthan.
And this year, the number of foreign artists performing in the city is only expected to go up. ���In February itself, there are atleast two different cultural shows that are being funded by ICCR, which will have foreign performers showcasing their skills,��� says Pawar. And the government is all set to do its bit to promote the city as an international cultural destination. ���I am glad that Jaipur is being considered as a serious destination for cultural events of international repute. We do have a couple of plans to support this endeavour,��� says state tourism and cultural minister, Bina Kak. While, she has plans to organise road shows to promote these various cultures, she also hopes to create more venues for shows to be hosted. ���In fact I have asked for some funds from the central government so that more state-of-the-art auditoriums can be constructed,��� reveals Kak to JT.