Monday, January 24 2005 18:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: President APJ Abdul Kalam is not just synonymous with science and children. He can equally be at ease with culture and dance, a trait he displayed at the inauguration of the National Folk Dance Festival in New Delhi today (Jan 24, 2005).

So impressed was he by the Singhi Cham dance of Sikkim at the National Folk Dance Festival that he broke protocol and went to the stage to pose with the artists dressed as snow lion.

President Kalam, who inaugurated 'Lok Tarang', the annual National Folk Dance Festival in New Delhi, congratulated the dancers and mingled with them freely.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Jaipal Reddy presented a Compact Disc of folk songs to the President on the occasion.

A 45-minute specially choreographed cultural show with folk dances from the seven cultural zones was presented by the dancers which included Terahtali from Rajasthan, Pa Danda from Bundelkhand, Singhi Cham from Sikkim and Bhangra from Punjab.

The six-day festival, organised by the Ministry of Culture, has over 800 folk artists and 750 school children participating from all over the country.

"The festival aims to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the country through folk dances," said Joint Secretary, Culture, Jaya Kumar, noting the festival showcases 44 dance forms of which 11 are those which had become nearly extinct and have been rejuvenated.

"The theme this year is collective joy and happiness which the artists are trying to bring out through their folklores and dances," said choreographer of the festival, Banshi Kaul.