Surajkund Crafts Mela: Land of Nile returns love with ‘Egypt by the Ganga’ festival this year

Egypt is the partner country of the Surajkund fair organised in Faridabad near Delhi every year.

Egypt, the land of the Nile, will soon bring its rich heritage and cultural diversity closer to the people of India through a festival.

Artistes from Jharkhand perform at the Surajkund Mela at Faridabad.(Zuhaib Mohammad/HT Photo)

The festival, christened ‘Egypt by the Ganga’, will be organized in India for the first time this year, Hatem Tageldin, Ambassador for Egypt to India said, while inaugurating the Surajkund International Crafts Mela on Wednesday.

Egypt is the partner country at the Surajkund fair this year where as Jharkhand is the theme state. “We had been associated with Surajkund Mela on two earlier occasions. But this time we are the partner country, giving us a full fledged opportunity to showcase our rich heritage and diverse culture,” Hatem said.

He said India had been showcasing its rich heritage and diverse culture in Egypt by organizing annual festival known as `India by the Nile’ for the last four years in his country. “Therefore, we have also decided to organize such festival in India with the name Egypt by the Ganga,” Hatem said.

The 4th edition of `India by the Nile’ festival was organized in Egypt last year showcasing diversity of the India’s culture, arts, music, films and cuisines. The fair was aimed at building enduring partnership between the two ancient civilizations.

“Our officials are working on the plan and I can confirm that the festival will be held this year,” Hatem added. “After President of Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al Sisi’s, visit to India during September last year, the relations between both the counties have further strengthened and we now want give a push for people to people contact between the two countries,” the ambassador said.

India’s popularity in Egypt, he said, can be gauged by the fact that in Egypt there were streets named after iconic leaders of India like — Gandhi street, Nehru street and Zakir Hussain street.

“We share common civilizations and cultures, which we want to promote in India through the proposed Egypt by the Ganga festivals,” he added.