Kerala Carnival 2010 debuts in London

The Kerala Carnival 2010 will kick off London's festival season by bringing to life the colourful Indian state of Kerala on the banks of the River Thames on 7-8 July 2010, at Riverside Walkway (by Gabriel's Wharf), South Bank, London, SE1.

Organised by the UK's leading multicultural specialist Here&Now365, and supported by Incredible India, Kerala — God's Own Country, South Bank and Think London, this free-to-attend 2-day waterfront carnival will create a traditional temple festival from Kerala for Londoners, who can immerse themselves in Kerala — rightly dubbed God's Own Country — without lifting a toe off British shores.

In true Keralite tradition, this iconic and high-spirited carnival will serve up a veritable feast of traditional Keralite cuisine, handicrafts, dance, music and more. The carnival will be hosted under the graceful arches of coastal Kerala's renowned temple architecture, which will be recreated exclusively for this event.

In addition an array of riverfront stalls will offer festival-goers the chance to sample Ayurvedic health and beauty treatments, home spa massage oils and food while also offering information on holidays to Kerala including yoga and wildlife safaris, for luxury seekers and those on a budget.

Although the newest event on London's festival calendar, the Kerala Carnival is poised to become one of London's unforgettable summer highlights. Its fresh concept and unique cultural offerings such as the dramatic Kathakali dance performances will open a new stream of visitors between London and Kerala.

Located near the London Eye, the venue itself is a landmark for London's tourists and residents alike. It is likely to receive an estimated audience of 50,000 at the Kerala Carnival 2010, a unique showcase of the Indian state known for its peaceful backwaters, endless beaches, holistic therapies and much more.

Reaching out to diaspora

Gandhi Memorial Lecture delivers pragmatic but positive message

Under the auspices of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Committee of Hull, Mr Nalin Surie, the High Commissioner of India, delivered the 6th Gandhi Memorial Lecture on the theme of 'India : A Decade Ahead' on 29th May. Mr Surie argued that India faces internal and external challenges. The internal challenges include economic development and sustaining the growth rate of 8% to 9%, social development of its people and equitable growth, political stability, and internal security, which has been threatened in recent years by the Maoist and other movements. At the external level, India faces the challenge of cross-border terrorism, maintaining peaceful relations with its neighbours, and promoting a multilateral and multipolar world.

Mr Surie observed that India's economic development has rightly attracted considerable attention throughout the world, and he saw no reason why India should not be able to sustain its current growth rate. In his view, India's internal security is closely tied up with uneven economic development, and should be tackled by means of various poverty relief programmes that the country has started during recent years. While emphasising that the challenges were formidable, he was convinced that in the next decade or two, India should be well on its way to achieving its goal of a stable, just and peaceful society.

Mr Surie said he was pleased that Prime Minister David Cameron has made special relations with India one of the top priorities of his foreign policy. Mr Surie stressed close economic, political and historic ties between the two countries, and urged the Indian diaspora to play its role in consolidating them.

top