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SOUTH AMERICAN Newsline MARCH 03, 2023 | The Indian Eye 25

Cherataria, the percussion group from University of Sao Paulo,
plays Indian beats like Bhangra and Garba besides playing the Samba. Photo by Elza Cohen

Gurchi Kukreja leads a group of Indian community at the carnival gathering.
Photo by Elza Cohen

as we are paying a tribute to Indian ings on both sides of the street.
women at this year’s street carnival If there’s one thing Bloco Bol-
of Indian community in Brazil,” Ms lywood has for certain, it’s diversity.
Swami said to a loud applause from India is a country of various dances
the people. “I am so happy to see so and songs. In addition to the most
many Brazilian present here today. successful songs from Bollywood
So, enjoy yourself with Indian music films, the bloco also played rhythms
and dances”. from various regions of India, such
After the Consul-General’s re- as Bhangra, from the state of Punjab,
marks, the carnival began with a spe- and Garba, from the state of Guja-
cial presentation called “Amrita”, a rat. As Bhangra is played by Brazil- MC Vijay Bavaskar, who has been hosting the event since 2016, is a major
homage to Indian women. “Amrita ian drums, the creators of the block attraction of the Indian carnival
celebrates the spirit of women’s em- named this rhythm “sambra”, a mix-
powerment and their contribution to ture of samba and bhangra.
the development of emerging India,” Around mid-day, the street party Bollywood and Bhangra dances to Florencia Costa, Bloco Bollywood
said Dr. Jyoti Kiran Shukla, director turned to its biggest attraction – Bol- Brazilians, led the crowd with some has now become the biggest Indian
of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural lywood dances, led by Iara Ananda peppy numbers, especially Punjabi event in Latin America. Since 2017,
Centre (SVCC), addressing the gath- and Disha Malani. As the two dance songs. “Since the beginning of the the bloco has a group of Brazilian
ering from the top of the float as a instructors took turns to perform bloco, the biggest attraction for the drummers, named Cherateria and
group of dancers stepped in to pres- and guide the crowd from the top Brazilian public has been the Indi- formed by USP students. This year
ent “Amrita”, a sequence of special- of the float, the level and tempo of an dance, which are so different and Cherateria participate with 25 mem-
ly-choreographed dances on six icnic the party was raised to a new level. so attractive. The bloco is a great bers and played Indian rhythms with
songs. While the music and dance Iara Ananda, a trained into Indi- example of a cultural confluence of Brazilian instruments, in addition to
were all Indian, the dancers were all an classical dances and a pioneer of two emerging countries with vibrant a wonderful samba performance.
Brazilians who are associated with Bollywood dancing in Brazil, made and colorful cultures”, said MC Vijay After more than three hours of
SVCC. The “Amrita” presenatation, the party sway with her mesmerising Bavaskar, businessman and owner non-stop music and dance, the party
ideated and put together by the the performance on songs like “Jai Ho” of an Indian restaurant in São Paulo reached its point of dispersion, with
SVCC director ended with a massive and “Indian wale’”. who has been hosting the party since music reaching a crescendo as MC
applause from the crowd gathered Between such popular numbers, 2016. Vijay Bavaskar and Cherataria held
on the street as well as hundreds of Disha Malani, the creator of the Created in 2016 by an Indo-Bra- the the show together with their bril-
people watching it from their build- brand Feels Like India who teaches zilian couple, Shobhan Saxena and liant performances.

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