A nine-member dance troupe from Dhaka's dance school Kolpotoru showcased Bangladesh's rich cultural heritage at the prestigious Bali Yatra Festival 2024, held in Cuttack, Odisha, India, from November 15 to 22.
Invited by the Government of India, the troupe represented Bangladesh alongside cultural groups from Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Slovakia, reads apress release.
The festival, one of Asia's largest open cultural fairs, celebrated the shared heritage of South and Southeast Asia. Fully hosted by the Odisha State Government, the Bangladeshi artistes received a grand welcome at Bhubaneswar airport, with traditional floral showers marking their arrival.
Kolpotoru, a sister organization of Shadhona, performed captivating pieces inspired by the timeless works of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Their performances seamlessly blended traditional and contemporary elements, including grassroots martial art dances like lathikhela and raibeshe, showcasing Bangladesh's cultural diversity.
Dr. Lubna Marium, principal of Kolpotoru, expressed pride in her troupe’s participation. “The Bangladesh-India relationship is deep and multifaceted. We may have differences, but that cannot define our relations,” she remarked.
Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma described the troupe’s participation as a testament to the strong people-to-people ties between the two nations. “It reflects mutual empathy and deep respect for the shared cultural traditions that bind India and Bangladesh together,” he said.
The festival, steeped in history, symbolizes the longstanding cultural exchanges between the two countries, highlighting their unbreakable bonds of shared art, tradition, and heritage.
