Besides Hungary’s capital, Balatonfüred, Eger, Esztergom, Szentendre, Sopron, Nagykanizsa, Szeged, and Debrecen are also home to the weekend-long Cultural Festival of India that’s named after the flowing symbols of the performing nation and the host country – the sacred Ganges and the historic Danube. Following the grand inauguration ceremony happening in Pesti Vigadó on June 17th (an invitation-only event), during the weekend, Budapest boasts a colorful cultural cavalcade with ancient Indian arts in the spotlight, like outdoor yoga sessions, martial-arts performances, traditional puppet theater, regional dance shows, and jewelry-making workshops, all this happening alfresco in downtown Városháza Park near Erzsébet Square throughout Saturday and Sunday. At 3pm and at 6pm during the weekend, Puskin Cinema screens popular Bollywood movies, while Mr. Masala in District III and the Maharaja restaurant in District VII serve spicy treats to guests and entertain those who visit them with informal puppet shows, henna painting, and jewelry-making sessions.
Tying in with this intriguing event, the riverfront Corso Restaurant at the InterContinental Budapest invited an Indian chef to enliven the taste buds of guests with popular Indian treats, like pineapple and mango salad, butter chicken, or saffron-infused milk dumplings, and this weeklong culinary journey spans through the last day of the festivities on June 19th.
Find out more about the festival on the Embassy of India’s website, and on the event’s Facebook page, or watch this video below that promotes the program:
