MP: Artists from 6 BRICS nations showcase culture in Bhopal
Bhopal, Aug 6
Artists from six BRICS member and participating countries showcased their rich cultural traditions through music, dance and folk performances at the BRICS Cultural Festival in Bhopal on Thursday, highlighting the role of culture in strengthening people-to-people ties.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture under India's BRICS Presidency 2026, the festival was held at Ravindra Bhavan on the second day of the four-day meeting of the BRICS Cultural Working Group.
Cultural delegations from Belarus, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and India presented performances reflecting their artistic traditions before a packed audience.
The festival began with a parade of participating countries, with artists dressed in traditional attire introducing audiences to the cultural diversity of their nations. Belarus presented folk songs and traditional dances rooted in its heritage, while Brazil performed Capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian art form combining martial arts, music, dance and acrobatics.
Indonesia showcased the Balinese welcome dance Pushpanjali and later staged the Javanese dance-drama The Legend of Roro Jonggrang, based on one of the country's well-known folk legends. Russia's National Academic Folk Instruments Orchestra performed compositions using traditional instruments, including the balalaika, bayan, alto domra and contrabass balalaika.
The United Arab Emirates was represented by musician Saif Al-Ali, whose performance blended traditional Emirati and Arab musical forms with contemporary elements. India concluded the individual performances with Maru Rang - Heritage of Rajasthan, featuring folk dances such as Ghoomar, Chari, Kalbelia and Bhavai.
The festival ended with a joint performance by artists from all participating countries, conveying a message of cultural harmony, mutual respect and international friendship.
According to the Madhya Pradesh government, the festival was organised around the theme Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah (May all be happy), aligning with India's BRICS Presidency theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Continuity".
The event formed part of the broader cultural engagement under India's BRICS Presidency. It aimed to promote cultural exchange, preserve traditional art forms and deepen cooperation among BRICS members and partner countries through shared cultural experiences.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's heartening to see cultural diplomacy taking centre stage. The theme 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah' is so deeply rooted in our ethos - wishing happiness for all. Events like these remind us that beyond geopolitics and trade, it's art and tradition that create lasting bonds between countries. Kudos to the Ministry of Culture for this beautiful showcase.
Interesting to see the UAE participating alongside BRICS members. The blend of traditional Emirati music with contemporary elements sounds fascinating. It's good to see cultural exchanges happening beyond just economic summits - this gives the BRICS grouping a more human face.
Nice event, but why only 6 countries? BRICS has expanded and there should be more representation from Africa and West Asia if we're serious about cultural diplomacy. Still, it's a good start for India's presidency. Looking forward to more such inclusive showcases in the coming months.
As someone from Bhopal, I'm so proud to see our city hosting this! Ravindra Bhavan is such an iconic venue and the fact that we got to see performances from Belarus to Indonesia without leaving our city is amazing. The joint performance at the end must have been spectacular - that's what true harmony looks like. 👏
The Russian orchestra with balalaika and alto domra sounds incredible! I've always admired how every culture has its unique instruments that tell stories of their land. And our own Maru Rang presentation with Bhavai and Chari dances was a fitting finale. This is how we showcase India's diversity to the world.
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