Turkish delights enliven celebrations

It was an evening of fun and revelry when the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey celebrated its National Day recently.

Diplomats from the embassies, officials from Ministry of External Affairs and other dignitaries were part of the celebration.

The celebrations commenced with a vibrant folk dance performance by the Giresun University Turkish Folk Dance Troupe from Turkey.

The dance troupe, comprising 10 dancers and two musicians, dressed in traditional costumes, presented a very colourful and pulsating show of traditional folk dances of Turkey.

The performance was complemented by music from the country’s traditional instruments like Kemanche and Tulum, and evoked memories and folk lore from the Black Sea region.

But the interesting act of the evening was a solo performance titled ‘Zeybek Dance’ by Gökhan Barutçu, the leader of the troupe.

Another traditional dance act ‘Horon’, characterised by tense and quick movements, represented the cheerful and dynamic people of the Black Sea Region.

Turkish model Gulcin Karakus was also spotted at the celebrations.

Karakus was crowned Miss Galaxy 2010 in Germany and Miss Turkey Tourism Queen of the Year International 2010 in China, followed by the title of Miss Freedom Of The World in 2011.

Dr Burak Akçapar, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey said, “Celebrating our National Day in India is a matter of pride for us as we see a strong friendship built between the two countries. Our aim is to increase connectivity, encourage cultural exchanges and facilitate economic growth between the two growing nations”.

However, food remained the highlight of the evening.

To celebrate the Republic Day of Turkey, a master chef and a chef from the State Guest House of Turkey in Ankara were especially flown down and they dished out delicious Turkish delicacies for the guests.

The gastronomic adventures started with mouthwatering snacks like Chicken Shish BBQ, Lamb Meatballs, Smoked Salmon Canapé, Barbunya Pilaki (red beans cooked in olive oil), Sultan’s Pilaf with chickpeas and more.

But the most appreciated dish was Chicken Meat Doner.

In desserts, Baklava, roasted pumpkin with tahina sauce and stuffed apricots with almonds and mix fruits platter were served, but the traditional Turkish dessert called
Lokma stole the show.