TWO iconic monuments in Bahrain and India will be lit up in colours marking the nations’ identities as the curtain rises on the golden jubilee celebrations of bilateral ties tomorrow.
Bab Al Bahrain will feature the colours of the Indian flag, while the Qutub Minar – a Unesco World Heritage Site – in New Delhi will shine in red and white, the colours of the Bahraini flag.
The landmark structures will be illuminated at 5.45pm Bahrain time.
Bab Al Bahrain, the main entrance to the Manama Suq which dates back to 1949, and designed by British adviser to the Amir Charles Belgrave, is considered to be the region’s first formal public space.
The Qutub Minar in Mehrauli is a soaring 73-metre-high “tower of victory” built in 1193 by Delhi Sultan Qutab-ud-din Aibak.
The lighting up of Bab Al Bahrain will be followed by a march from the monument to the Heritage Shop led by the Interior Ministry Band followed by a performance by the Mohammed Bin Faris Band at the Little India Square.
The evening will also see visits to the Manama Hindu Temple and the Golf Cart.
Tomorrow’s events are just the beginning of ‘Little India in Bahrain’, a bouquet of programmes that are lined up to mark 50 years of bilateral ties that are rooted and have grown over the years in “cultural, commercial and human” encounters, said Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) director general for culture and arts Shaikha Hala bint Mohammed Al Khalifa.
She was speaking at a Press conference yesterday at the Bahrain National Museum alongside Indian Ambassador Piyush Srivastava and Foreign Affairs Consular and Administrative Affairs Under-Secretary Tawfeeq Al Mansoor.
“It is indeed beautiful that we are celebrating the history of an ancient relationship that marks cultural, commercial and human encounters that brings us (Bahrain and India) together,” said Shaikha Hala.
“Throughout this week we will be exploring the diverse elements that the countries share – be it food, dance, craft, music – all celebrating the relationships between the peoples of our countries.”
Shaikha Hala noted the important role that Baca is playing in these programmes highlighting culture as the “soft power” that engages as an effective tool in growing diplomatic ties.
“Ours is just not rooted, but a relationship that is going strongly in so many fields.
Qutub Minar ... to be lit up in the colours of the Bahraini flag
“We are indeed honoured that New Delhi’s heritage site Qutub Minar will be illuminated in the Bahraini flag colours as we commence the celebrations.”
Mr Srivasata also shared his joy at the countries marking the milestone year with a number of events showcasing “people to people connect”.
He added that the year-long golden jubilee celebrations started with the launch of its logo last month.
“We share bilateral ties in various aspects – politics, security, trade, culture and education – and we have had some high-level exchanges that guided our bilateral ties to newer heights,” he said, citing the royal visits from Bahrain to India and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bahrain in 2019.
“This has set the roadmap for our present bilateral engagements, while we also have ongoing collaborations in renewable energy, health and counter-terrorism.”
He added that the “resilience” of the ties was evident, and he was optimistic of the “huge potential” to expand.
“The trade exchange this year is up 40 per cent compared with last year and this year it is expected to be over $1 billion,” he added.
The week-long celebrations running until October 19 will feature cultural events by Indian and Bahraini artists, handicraft, cuisine and seminars/webinars.
The live events will be showcased in Little India Square near Bab Al Bahrain.
The celebrations are supported by as many as 30 sponsors including LuLu Hypermarket, BKG Holdings, the Thattai Hindu Merchant Community, VKL Group, Al Namal Group and RP Group of Companies.
raji@gdn.com.bh
Click here to get details of the Little India in Bahrain location in Manama.
Little India in Bahrain logo
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