Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Guwahati-born dancer Anannya Mahanta brought the traditions of Assam to the United Kingdom. She performed at India's 80th Independence Day celebrations in Birmingham. The Consulate General of India hosted the event. More than 150 people attended from across the country.
Mahanta started the show with Sattriya. She moved through complex rhythmic patterns and used abhinaya to tell stories through dance. She then shifted to the high energy of Bihu. She used traditional items like the jaapi and toka. The crowd cheered. She said the event provided a chance to represent her home state on a global stage, noting it was a way of "bringing the traditions she grew up with in Guwahati to a global audience."
Consul General Dr. Venkatachalam Murugan hoisted the national flag. The event began with the singing of Vande Mataram. Several dignitaries attended the ceremony. These included Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands Derrick Anderson CBE and Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Zaker Choudhry MBE. The guest list also featured Royal Sutton Coldfield Mayor Cllr Dr. Nitish Raut, High Sheriff of the West Midlands Carmen Watson, High Sheriff of Staffordshire Pritpal Singh Nagi MBE DL, and Romanian Consul General Mihaela Savu.
Mahanta is a certified artist with the Ministry of Culture and a member of the International Dance Council in Paris. She holds a double diploma in Sattriya. She serves as a Prasar Bharati graded artist and works with SPIC MACAY.
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