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A Beautiful Evening in Jaipur Hosted by the Speaker of Lok Sabha for BRICS Women Parliamentarians
by Gitikka Ganju Dhar Entertainment | August 29, 2016 | Guest Article
Gitikka Ganju Dhar Wizcraft Shiamak Davar
The BRICS Women Parliamentarians’ Enablers for Achieving SDG’s Forum 2016, a two day meet, unfolded in the capital city of Jaipur in Rajasthan on August 20. 42 delegates from BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) join the Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje for this two day event.

On the first day, the Forum was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, while CM Raje warmly welcomed the delegates from different countries. Mahajan called upon the BRICS countries to present a united front for successful implementation of Sustainable Development Goals. Delivering the inaugural speech at the meeting of BRICS Women Parliamentarians’ Forum in Jaipur, she said, “The BRICS countries together comprise 43 per cent of the world population, contributing 37 per cent of the world GDP. The success of the SDGs will be heavily dependent on their successful implementation in the BRICS countries. So with agreement reached on the ‘what’ we have to get on with the ‘how’.”
The ladies from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa then met in the evening at ITC Rajputana and witnessed a cultural presentation crafted by Wizcraft International. The team on ground was led by veteran Wiz, Sukhdeep Nagi. The evening, hosted by Mahajan, paid a tribute to the incredible Indian woman, through the dance and music of India. And I was the Sutradhaar of this expressive, colourful and beautiful event.
The first act titled Aarti was presented by Shiamak Davar’s Institute of Performing Arts (SDIPA) and performed by ten woman dancers, around the theme of creation of the universe.
The second act presented martial arts as a means to attain greater physical, mental and emotional well-being. Traditionally performed by men, women have also mastered the art. Showcasing three traditional martial arts Kalaripayattu, Thang-ta and Gatka from different regions of India, the act performed by women, culminated in a flurry of action where all of them performed together in a climax that embodied the strength of the Indian woman. Among the forms of martial art that were showcased was Kalaripayattu, widely considered to be one of the oldest fighting styles in existence, dating back to about the 3rd century BC.
The third act brought to fore the unmatched allure of the ‘Sari: The Un-stitched’. This was a dance ballet that showcased and celebrated the two most long-running and noted symbols of Indian womanhood – the Sari and the Bindi. Performed by the Daksha Sheth Dance Company, it unfolded the story of the Sari, the nine-yard long traditional garment synonymous with Indian womanhood. It was both a tribute and a celebration of the Sari’s enduring grace in both stillness and movement, its adaptability to a range of wearing styles, and its glorious legacy by way of its exquisite craftsmanship. The dance ballet also delved into the power and significance of the Bindi – a decorative dot worn by Indian woman on the forehead, between the eyebrows.
The fourth act celebrated India’s rich culture of dance and music: presenting folk culture with a contemporary twist. The act, performed by SDIPA, showcased diverse dance forms from the North, East, South and West of India in a sequential manner. Since movies are a big part of our Indian culture, this act was set to beats of popular Indian film industry ‘remixes’ based on folk songs. The finale act had all the dancers and artists come together and sway to the beats of the BRICS Anthem that was specially created for the Meet.

The evening ended with a sit down dinner at the Suryavanshi Hall. I got a chance to talk at leisure with some women parliamentarians from India. I was delighted to see how driven, educated and committed they all were. And I was told that the present Lok Sabha comprises of 11% women members. Of the 543 MPs elected, 62 are women. This is the highest number of women MPs elected to the Lok Sabha in the history of our country. As I walked up to my room, I had a smile on my lips. Ladies, our time has begun… to come!
The cultural presentation at ITC Rajputana was put together by Wizcraft International, and saw performances by Shiamak Davar’s Institute of Performing Arts and the Daksha Sheth Dance Company.