Enchanting extravaganza

Audience at Alhamra captivated by Indonesian culture through an ensemble of music, dance and costumes.

LAHORE:

A vibrant evening of song and dance by mesmerising Indonesian performers held audiences spellbound at Lahore’s Alhamra Arts Council. The Indonesian Cultural Night was organised by the Indonesian embassy in collaboration with the Lahore Arts Council (LAC).

Businessmen associated with Indonesia and other high-profile dignitaries, including chief guest Punjab Governor Latif Khosa and Indonesian ambassador Ishak Latuconsina attended the lively function which aimed at strengthening ties of the two countries and promoting Indonesian tourism.

An array of traditional dances depicting various cultural trends was presented. The night kicked off with a dance performance called ‘Meaning Kabao’ in which dancers held plates in their hands and wore rings in their fingers. They hit the rings with the plates creating rhythmic music. The poise with which the dancers balanced the plates during their performance was truly astounding.

‘Renggong Manis’, ‘Zara Zapin’, ‘Jaipongan Bajor Kahot’, ‘Nandak Ganjen’ and ‘Saman’ dances were also performed at the occasion. These traditional dances portrayed the rich and unique customs of various Indonesian areas. Another dance form presented on the occasion was one in which the dancers enacted martial arts using handkerchiefs as props.

The National College of Arts (NCA) and Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design have collaborated with the LAC in celebrating this cultural week.

Students from NCA walked on the ramp and displayed different Indonesian costumes while two dance performances were staged by Pakistani artists, Daood Butt and Payal Chaudhary, who danced on the mime of Heer Ranjha while Mehrunnisa presented a classical dance.

Indonesian singer Anaas sung several Indonesian and Pakistani songs. When he sung “Dil Dil Pakistan” the hall cheered at his performance, ignoring the linguistic mistakes that he made on several occasions.

On one occasion, several Indonesian guests took to stage and danced whilst the audience shouted slogans of Pak-Indonesian friendship.

Governor Khosa said that the people of Indonesia and Pakistan were interlinked by faith and both nations had similarities in their cultures: “We are tied through a strong bond of love and friendship”.

Ambassador Latuconsina said that cooperation in various fields including economy, education, tourism and culture had brought about substantial fruits and promoted people-to-people contacts, strengthening friendship between the two countries.

The cultural night was part of the Indonesian Cultural Week being celebrated from April 15 to April 21 in Islamabad and Lahore and aims to further strengthen social and cultural bonds between the two countries.





Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2011.