The Brajvandna dance often serves as a curtain-raiser to pray for success. (Photo: Embassy of India)

Locals and visitors to Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces will be treated to amazing performances by skillful dancers and singers led by Pratibha Sharma, an expert on Charkula dancing and other folk dances of the Braj region.

The Charkula dance, one of the most spectacular folk dances of Uttar Pradesh state, is a challenging test of balance in which a female dancer performs while balancing on her head 108 earthen oil lamps stacked on a wooden pyramid-shaped platform.

The music is primarily songs of praise to Lord Krishna, who was born in the Braj region. The dance is performed on the third day of Holi. It’s believed that Radha, the beloved of the god Krishna, was born on this day.

The Mayur Raas or peacock dance. (Photo: Embassy of India)

The Pratibha Kala Kendra folk dance group came to Vietnam once before, in 2007, to perform in HCMC and nearby localities under a cultural exchange program, Indian Ambassador Sandeep Arya told VOV.

He said the affinity, bonds, and friendliness between the people of India and people of Vietnam is a very strong element of the India-Vietnam friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership.

“That friendship, the foundation of strong relations, requires the Vietnamese to have a better understanding of, appreciation of, and familiarity with the Indian culture,” said Ambassador  Arya.

The Pratibha Kala Kendra folk dance troupe will perform in Lao Cai province and Yen Bai province on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

The troupe performed in Hanoi on Wednesday, at the Tam Chuc tourism complex in Ha Nam province on Thursday, and at the Vietnam-India Secondary School and Thai Nguyen University in Thai Nguyen province on Friday.

In addition to dance performances, a number of exchange activities and seminars have been held to give Vietnamese audiences a better understanding of the history and characteristics of Indian folk dances.