Colour, dance and shared visions as hundreds celebrate India Day

In a flurry of colour, hundreds descended on Farmleigh House and Estate in Phoenix Park on Sunday to mark India Day, a celebration of Indian heritage and culture.

The event, which was first held by the Ireland-India Council in 2015, was held in advance of Indian independence day on August 15th.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addressed the event on Sunday afternoon, where he spoke of Ireland and India’s shared histories, and contributions of the Indian community to Irish society.

“As we know, Irish and Indian histories are both similar and deeply intertwined. We shared a history both of struggle and resilience, and share the vision of a world built on the principles of democracy, freedom and opportunity.

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“We became republics only a few months apart, and both our countries have large diaspora populations around the globe, bringing our respective cultures to the four corners of the world,” Mr Varadkar added. “The Indian community in Ireland brought a rich tapestry of traditions, language and diversity of thought into Irish life.

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Mr Varadkar also spoke of his dual Irish and Indian identity. The Taoiseach’s father, who is from India, was present at the event.

Ravindra Singh, who moved to Ireland two years ago, said the India Day event brought Indians together. He said that much of Indian culture draws on classical dance and music, reflected in the various performances at Farmleigh on Sunday.

Several of the eight types of classical Indian dances were on show at the event, including Kathak and Odissi.

“It gives me the motivation to see our native country’s activities,” Mr Singh said of the event. “That’s why I came.”

Expatriots can often be “culturally starved”, Hamish Kapoor said as he strolled around Farmleigh on Sunday. “As an expatriate, most Irish people will go to the Patrick’s Day parade – so it’s something like [that], the Indians coming here.”

Mr Kapoor, from Dehli in India, moved to Ireland in 2000 and works as a surgeon. “Any excuse to get good Indian food,” he joked.

Manjula Shivaprasad was in Farmleigh on Sunday as part of her first trip to Ireland. Her son lives in Dublin, she said.

“This is so nice… people here, they are so amazing, they respect each other,” Ms Shivaprasad, from Karnataka in southern India, said. “We’ve been so happy in Dublin.”

Karen Claxton heard about the event in a local residents’ group, and decided to sample some Indian culture on Sunday afternoon. “It’s great to see so many people.”

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At the event, Prashant Shukla, chairperson of the Ireland-India Council, presented Mr Varadkar with a traditional Indian shawl at the event, a symbol of “respect and thanks”.

Mr Shukla praised Mr Varadkar’s “generous response” to the Covid-19 pandemic. “When the world was grappling with the crisis, you extended your care beyond borders.”

“I take immense pride in witnessing the flourishing Indian community in Ireland, their contributions across sectors,” Mr Shukla told the event.