India and Iran plan to revive their age old friendship by jointly organizing a series of programs to promote bilateral cultural ties during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tehran, from Sunday.
“This includes a major international conference titled ‘India and Iran, two great civilizations – Retrospect and Prospects’ focusing on the journey of Persian literature, history and arts and culture in both the countries,” said C Rajasekhar, director general, Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
Modi will attend the inaugural session of the conference on May 23 which would be followed by a sitar concert. He will also release a manuscript called ‘Kalileh wa Dimneh’ – an old translation into Persian of ‘Panchatantra’(ancient Indian fables) and ‘Jataka’ tales (on Buddha), the Financial Express reported.
He said the ICCR and the Embassy of India in Tehran in collaboration with Iran’s Farhangistan (cultural house) and Saadi Foundation are organizing the three-day long cultural festival.
The manuscript is perhaps the only ever-lasting and perpetual bridge which first connected the Indo-Iranian community.
“This facsimile edition of Kalileh wa Dimneh is a tribute to the cultural interflow between India and Iran over millennia, attested by the nexus of the Rigvedic hymns and Gathas of Prophet Zoroaster,” said Lokesh Chandra, ICCR president.
There will also be an exhibition of digital manuscripts, a sitar and tar recital by an Indian sitarist and an Iranian tarist who will perform together, and a session of Persian poetry recitation where Indian and Iranian poets will come together to celebrate the glorious poetry tradition.
“There has been a constant inter-flow and exchange of ideas, people, goods and services between our two societies so much so that we have greatly enriched each other’s culture, literature, language, art, architecture and cinema among others,” Rajasekhar said.
“We will display some rare manuscripts and miniatures. We have perhaps far more manuscripts, rare and Persian manuscripts in our possession – in both public and private collections. We keep publishing them through our National Manuscripts Mission,” he said.
On the margins of Modi’s visit to Iran, ICCR and its Iranian counterpart will also sign a MoU to provide the framework for cultural exchanges including supporting reciprocally each other’s cultural festivals.
“We are planning about a month-long ‘Festival of Iran in India’ and also ‘Festival of India in Iran’, he added.
