Indian Variety Programme celebrating Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
By Trafford Shankh "The event was a ROARING SUCCESS!"
Indian cultural variety programme organised on 25th February 2012 at Robert Bolt Theatre in the Sale Waterside Arts Centre by the Trafford Shankh to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II perceived to be the first of its kind in the North West. It was a variety in the true sense of the term and one of the biggest entertainment events of dances and music the audience had ever seen before.
Present at the event included Lord Lieutenant Warren Smith JP, Deputy Mayor Cllr Mrs Mayor Brenda Houraghan & Deputy Mayoress Mrs Barbara Cartledge of Trafford, Rt Hon Graham Brady MP Altrincham & Sale West, Rt Revd Mark Davies Bishop of Middleton & Deputy Bishop of Greater Manchester and Inspector Alistair Macdonald from Trafford Police Division.
The theatre became live, even before the arrival of the audience, with the presence of a 12'6” tall statue of Her Majesty the Queen showcasing the artistic skills of Chester Giants. The programme started at 7.30pm with the blowing of Shankh by Father and 8yr old daughter (the Banerjees) team which rolled the evening to an elevated stage giving the audience a welcome most befitting the royals of olden India. Lighting of Diyas by the dignitaries & the Chair Trafford Shankh followed by singing of the National anthems of Britain and India the cultural variety programme started with a bang.
Fusion of David Wilson with World Percussion-Saxophone and nimble fingers on Tabla by Indrajit Matharu were outstanding. Lord Lt. Mr Warren Smith JP was delighted to say “I particularly enjoyed the fusion between traditional Indian instruments”.
Altrincham & Sale West MP Rt Hon. Graham Brady said “I enjoyed the evening and learned a little more about Indian culture too”. The professional touch of Pushpanjali based on Bharatanatyam by Jayanthi Sivakumar and Nrithya Rammohan, Odissi by Katie Ryan, Mohini Attam by Remya Jeyaraj brought some glimpse of cultural India to Trafford. They were welcoming and surprisingly delightful for the Dy Mayor & Dy Mayoress of Trafford. Almost all of us were aghast by young Natasha’s skills, flexibility and beauty in the Hoop and Tap dances and Sneha’s Bollyflex. Bharatanatyam-Thillana presented by four young students of Kalasangam from Ashton Asian art and Bollywood dance by Prachi agarwal & Muskan Singh- two friends kept the audience fully engaged. Even the very young Dazzling Divas-Bollywood dance from primary schools in Trafford were no less in enhancing the charm of the show.
Invited dignitaries and community at large were astounded by the variety and richness of the cultural heritage of India even when it was only a glimpse. The professional comparing by Dr Rammohan beautifully winded down the show with Shashi’s melodious Ghazal, beat on Tabla by Indrajit Matharu and Dilruba by Avatar Lota. It left the audience with lasting pleasant memories of the evening. All in all it was indeed a most befitting humble tribute to the start of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee year celebrations.
Thankyou to The Giants for letting us use thier image