International Ancient Arts Fest in Delhi From May 16–17

Delhi is geared up to host the International Ancient Arts Festival from May 16–17, 2012 at Kamani theatre. The two-day showcase of ancient therapeutic arts and culture will bring to the Indian capital rare musical instruments like the Chinese Guquin and Iranian Tar-Setar and ancient dances like the Gaudiya Nritya and Pung Cholom.

The festival, to be held under the aegis of a non-profit group 'Rays of Wisdom Society' by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ministry of Culture, Delhi Tourism and Uttar Pradesh Tourism will feature performers from Pakistan, China, Iran and India.

The festival will begin on May 16 with a collaborative performance of various Indian traditional dance forms highlighting "the spiritual significance of Rabindranath Tagore's poems."

It will include Odissi by Reela Hota, Kathak by Vidha Lal, creative dance by Naresh Kumar, Gaudiya Nritya by Gaudiya Nritya Bharati and Pung Cholom & Ras Leela by Prem Manipur Cultural association. It will be followed by a soul-stirring Sufi performance by Pakistan's Ustad Hamid Ali Khan.

On May 17, the program will begin with a series of symposia on "The Body as a Sacred Instrument" by Vivien Marcow-Speiser from Cambridge University, "Healing Sounds for Children With Disabilities: Finding the Power of Love to Facilitate Growth and Change" by art therapist Phillipe Speiser and relationships between painting and healing by Runa Broota and Manissha Khanna.