JOIN USThe stage is set for one of the biggest Australian cultural festivals in India. With an attempt to familiarise Indians with Down Under and its culture, the Australian High Commission is bringing a four-month Oz Fest, spread across 18 locations, come October 16.
Celebrating two contemporary cultures grounded in ancient tradition, the festival will open at Purana Qila, featuring Australian aboriginal singer and songwriter Gurrumul Yunupingu, didgeridoo player Mark Atkins and Indian sitarist Anoushka Shankar against the backdrop of a 3D projection by Sydney-based AGB Events, known for its vivid light festival.
Announcing the details, Australian High Commissioner to India, Peter Varghese said during the next four months, Oz Fest will showcase the creativity, dynamism and diversity of Australia through major events across India focusing on music, art, food, films, literature, dance, sport, ideas and much more.
“We hope that through this fest, Indians will come to understand more about our nation’s story – its cultural diversity, creativity, strong economy and many links between our two nations,” said Peter.
The festival will travel to Mumbai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Gandhi Nagar, Goa besides other major Indian cities.
Highlights include the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow featuring five comics and a comedy competition to find new Indian talent in Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru.
As part of the Kahani Storytelling Festival – Saltbush will capture a journey of two friends from different aboriginal backgrounds, travelling across Australia’s diverse landscape discovering rivers, cities, deserts and the sea.
Children in the audience will be invited to explore, play and dance with the performers as the landscape unfolds around them. Australian bands Karnivool, Big Scary, Jinja
Safari, The Aston Shuffle and Sheppard Rocking will perform in Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru.
Films featuring Fearless Nadia, Australia’s first Bollywood star and the original stunt artist who is very well known in India, will be screened in Mumbai.
One thing that visibly connects India and Australia is their love for cricket. During these four months, Australia’s indigenous cricket team will be playing local Indian teams in one-day and Twenty20 matches in Pune and Mumbai.
Young Australian Bollywood star Pallavi Sharda, cricketer Brett Lee and chefs Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris, who have become household names in India through Masterchef, have been selected as Oz Fest’s Ambassadors.
Oz Fest starts on October 16 at Purana Qila and concludes on February 5, 2013.