Tourism & Hospitality | Saturday 17 February, 2018 3:37 am |

THE Indian pavilion in Janadriya is attracting a large number of people, including Saudis, who are showing their eagerness to know more and more about Indian merchandise and its traditions and customs.

Spicy Indian food, traditional dresses and cultural events are main attractions at the event. Indian Embassy officials have made elaborate arrangements to offer a wide range of information to visitors about India.

Last week, Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the Indian pavilion and then different states of the country started displaying their culture and traditions. Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have already marked their allotted days at the festival while Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana will be displaying their traditions and cultures in the coming days.

In addition to the general public, several senior Saudi officials have been showing showing immense interest in learning about India. Traditional desserts of different states are being offered to the guests at the pavilion.

Diplomats of other countries also visited the Indian pavilion upon at the invitation of Ambassador Ahmad Javed.

Indian Pavilion is showcasing glimpses of both traditional and modern India displays by Indian Ordnance Factory Board, ISRO, Ministry of Ayush, Indian Tourism Board, Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Textiles, Handicrafts Promotion Council, Ministry of Food Processing Skilled Development, Digital India etc.

It is also presenting the sociocultural heritage, folklore, traditional costume, perfumes, bridal costume, artifact specimen calligraphy, Arabic manuscripts and different foods made with special Indian flavor.

Different cultural troops are performing everyday traditional dances like kathakali, kalari yaptu, Manipuri, Chhaals, Punjabi Bhangra, Gujarati and Rajasthani folklores.

At the help desk of the Indian Embassy, information brochure in Arabic is being distributed to all the visitors. It contains a commentary on the long and cherished relations between India and Saudi Arabia and rare pictures of meetings between leaders of the two countries.

Major companies which are showcasing their products and services include Larsen and Turbo, Tata Motors, Lulu, Shapoorji Pallongi, Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology, TCIL, Jet Airways, Aster, Abeer Medical group, Masah Specialized Construction Company, Tea Board India, KRBL, Max Health Care, XS in Fosol, Ministry of Food Processing Unit, Incredible India, Best Travels Deals, Arabian Power and Electronic Company Coffee Board of India and others.

Many Saudis were amazed to learn that the Jaguar car is manufactured in India by Tata Motors.

Exhibition of Islamic calligraphy is an important part of Indian Pavilion where the rare collection of Rampur’s Raza Library is on display. The exhibition is specially designed to showcase various artistic forms of calligraphy which came from Arabia but developed and natured by Indian calligraphers.