Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu was bursting with colours recently as the city’s Indian community got together to celebrate the best of Indian art, history and culture.
The Colours of India festival, from August 15-22, coincided with the celebrations of 63rd anniversary of Indian independence from British rule.
The festival included a display of Indian arts and crafts and costumes. It also included photos of and items belonging to Mahatma Gandhi, which are on loan from University of Canterbury Associate Professor Aditya Malik. The photos were taken by Malik’s grandfather D.R.D Wadia, a renowned photographer in Gandhi’s time.
Live performances of Indian music, dance and art were also held on Sunday 15 August, Saturday 21 August and Sunday 22 August.
This included classical and Bollywood dancing by some of Christchurch’s diverse Indian community; a documentary on the Nobel Prize winner Rabindra Nath Tagore, and demonstrations and workshops about meditation, classical dance, tabla (Indian drum), sitar (string instrument) and henna painting.
Christchurch Multicultural Council president Surinder Tandon said the festival, which was the first of its kind to be held at the Gallery, attracted hundreds of visitors.
Up to 7000 Indians or people of Indian descent live in Christchurch.