“Magyar Masala” is Hungarian culture in focus from January 16 to February 26 at Bangalore, New Delhi, Chennai, Chandigarh and Pune. It includes contemporary art exhibitions, jazz concerts, photography exhibition, film week, poetry reading and renaissance music concert.

In a chat with Deccan Herald on the sidelines of a jazz concert by Hungarian artistes in the City, Dr Imre Lazar, Director, Hungarian Information and Cultural, New Delhi said, “This is the 30th year of the Hungarian Cultural Centre. It is also the “Year of Intercultural Dialogue” in the European Union. The objective of the year is to facilitate mutual understanding and better co-existence between various peoples. The Magyar Masala was conceived within this conceptual framework. We would like to present this diversity, but not only within the framework of the European Union: we aim to encompass more distant continents and civilisation including India.”
Adds Dr Imre, “The Masala is the spice mixture that draws on its diverse components to give the magical flavour, which is so characteristic of Indian dishes. The character of Hungarian culture is that it is traditional yet, at the same time, novel. This is what the Hungarian Cultural Centre wishes to present. Magyar Masala will only be the first step of establishing a tradition in the initiation of a novel form of inter-cultural dialogue between Hungary and India.”

An expo of contemporary art from Pecs, the Hungarian City which has been designated as “Cultural Capital of Europe 2010” is already on from Jan 16 to 29 at Gallery Sumukha located on BTS Depot Road in Wilson Garden. A jazz concert by Hungarian artistes was performed on Sunday (Jan 20) at the Guru Nanak Bhavan in collaboration with Bangalore School of Music. A Hungarian renaissance (classical) music concert has been scheduled for Feb 24 at Alliance Francaise. Hungarian films have already been screened by Suchitra Film Society. “In this age of internet you can can communicate instantly, but I feel personal encounters in the form of films, music and art are important. I believe cultural diplomacy is playing an important role. I hope the City will be hungry for Hungary,” adds Dr Imre.

Source: Deccan Herald