Manipuri dance troupe takes part in International Festival

Guwahati: A leading Manipuri dance performing troupe, Jagoi Marup, took part at the 46th International Cervantino Festival which was held from October 10 to October 28 at different cities of Mexico. India participated for the first time as guest of honour in this International festival at Mexico.

The 15-member cultural troupe from Manipur returned home after successful performances of world famous Basanta Raas, Pung Chollom, Dhol Chollom and Manipuri Classical dance compositions at different places namely Alhondiga de Granditas at Alhondiga, Plazaprincipal, La Piedad, Auditorio Eduoro Tres Guerras Celaya, Plaza Miguel Hidalgo, Irapuato, Teatro Zaragoza, Atizapan, Merida, Centro de Convenciones at Campeche, Teatro Ignacio De La Llava at Orizade.

The troupe performance on Teatro de la Ciudad centro de convenciones at Contzacoalcos on October 25 was supposed to be the troupe's last performance, But t on being requested for an extra performance., the troupe had to once again perform at the Festival International De Sta Lucia held at Monterrey, Mexico on October 26.

The team which was comprised of seven female and eight male artistes was sponsored by Indian Council for Cultural Research (ICCR) and led by senior artiste of the Manipuri Jagoi Marup, N. Rina Devi, who is also an empanel artist of ICCR, New Delhi.

In the festival, altogether 125 artists from 10 groups of India sponsored by ICCR took part making it the largest ever participation from an Asian country in the Latin American region.

The Cervantino Internacional Festival popularly known as El Cervantino, takes place each fall in the city of Guatanajuo, located in central Mexico. The origins of the festival are from the mid 20th century when short plays by Miguel de Cervantes called entremeses (singular entremés) were performed in the city’s plazas. In 1972, this was expanded with federal support to include more events to add a more international flavor. Since then, the festival has grown to become the most important international artistic and cultural event in Mexico and Latin America, and one of four major events of its type in the world.

The various events of this International festival happen in the forty nine theatres, plazas and other venues in the city, with satellite events in other plazas in the state and other cities in the country. The Festival in the city of Guanajuato takes advantage of these numerous venues, indoor and outdoor which include the Teatro Juárez, the Teatro Principal, the Teatro Cervantes, the Patio of the Faculty of Industrial Relations, the State Auditorium, the Plaza San Roque, the Esplanade of the Alhondiga, the Teatro de Minas, the Valenciana Church and the Ex-Hacienda of San Gabriel de Barrera. In addition, to these venues, seven other museum spaces are also used for the purpose of photography exhibitions and other such activities.

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