Nawabi delicacies in China

Hyderabad chefs enchant foodies in Beijing

Chefs from Hyderabad demonstrated their culinary skills to Chinese food lovers at a food festival organised here as part of India's biggest cultural extravaganza in China.The food festival was organised as part of 'Glimpses of India' festival being held all over China to popularise Indian culture.

Two Chefs from Hyderabad enlivened the dinner get-together with a spread of Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.The get-together was attended by Chinese officials from different ministries as well as think tanks at a five star hotel here last night.Secretary of Culture Ravindra Singh and Indian Ambassador to Beijing Ashok K Kantha took part in the food festival, which also featured Indian dances by Chinese and Indian artists.India formally kicked off its year-long 'Glimpses of India' festival on May 7 with performances by artists from the acclaimed Kalakhetra dance school in Chennai.

The 30-member group will also perform at a popular theatre on Sunday followed by another performance in China's famous Tshinghua University the next day.They will then go to Chengdu to hold a similar performance next week.The Glimpses of India festival will be held in top 12 cities including Tibet's provincial capital, Lhasa.

The cultural festival features Indian performing arts, exhibitions of modern Indian art and calligraphy, visual and photographic exhibitions on Buddhist heritage of India and links.Officials say this is by-far the biggest cultural festival of India in China which included a show in Lhasa, the provincial capital of Tibet and Urumqi, the provincial capital of Xinjiang.The festival is being organised in the backdrop of improved relations between the two countries overcoming decades of hostilities following the 1962 war.Chinese officials hope that the bilateral ties would get a new impetuous specially on the trade and investment front, once the new government takes office after the current round of general elections in India.

China too plans to hold a similar festival in India to showcase its rich culture in arts and crafts.Besides culture, the 'Glimpses of India' festival will depict India's scientific achievements, food and films. Events involving eminent Indian and Chinese scholars and writers will also be organised as part of the festival.Tourism and business promotion events will also constitute key components of the festival.The Chinese cities that will witness activities associated with the festival include Beijing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Dali, Kunming, Shanghai, Urumqi, Lhasa, and Qingdao.