Vietnam, India boost cultural exchange

The Vietnam-India Cultural Exchange Program to mark the 52nd anniversary of Vietnam-India diplomatic relations was jointly organized by the Vietnam-India Friendship Association in Hanoi and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre on January 5 to promote friendly relations and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

The event is an opportunity for the people of Vietnam and India to grasp each other's cultural characteristics, contributing to promoting friendship between the two countries.

Speaking at the event, Phan Lan Tu, Chairwoman of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association, expressed her hope that the people of the two countries would gain a deeper insight into each other's culture, customs, and traditions through traditional artistic performances.

Subhash Prasad Gupta, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India in Vietnam. Photo: Hoang Huy/The Hanoi Times

The relationship between Vietnam and India made significant progress when the two countries announced the establishment of diplomatic ties on January 7, 1972, and has remained stable through many upheavals.

At the event, Subhash Prasad Gupta, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Indian Embassy in Vietnam, mentioned several similarities in culture and customs between the two countries, including rice culture, ancestor worship, a pluralistic view of the universe and the world, and emphasized the importance of buffalo and rice in culture and worship rituals.

In recent years, the two countries have been actively engaged in cultural exchange. Many Indian books have been translated into Vietnamese, as well as Indian classical dance.

Chairwoman of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association Phan Lan Tu. Photo: Hoang Huy

Subhash Prasad Gupta emphasized the importance of Vietnam in India's Look East Policy, which prioritizes strengthening cultural ties with Vietnam.

"We need to make breakthroughs in this relationship through youth exchanges, sports, yoga, and traditional medicine. That is why friendship groups, especially the Vietnam-India Friendship Association in Hanoi, play an important role in promoting exchanges and sharing cultural values between the two sides," said Gupta.

The event also featured outstanding dance performances showcasing the two countries' cultural identities, particularly Indian Kathak dance.

One of the eight classical dance forms of India, Kathak impressed the audience with its narrative-like movements, like a person telling a story.

A performer of Kathak dance. Photo: Hoang Huy

In Sanskrit, Kathak means storytelling through music, song, rhythm of footwork, and body movements. This dance aims to create eternal happiness by uniting the human being with the highest cosmic energy. With a history of more than 2,500 years, Kathak is currently being preserved and passed on by Kathakar, the term referring to the people who perform this dance, on their journeys through all countries and regions.

In addition, students from the Vietnamese Dance Academy, universities, and high schools in Hanoi performed traditional Vietnamese dances to show the beauty of Vietnamese dance and culture to Indian friends, promoting cultural understanding between the two sides.