Queen Elizabeth will miss Friday’s Jubilee event due to mobility issues.
Kuchipudi dancer Arunima Kumar with her dance company performed at the grand Platinum Jubilee celebration of British monarch Queen Elizabeth II taking place in London. The event, which began with a gun salute and an overflight of military planes on Thursday, will continue for four days.
Ms Kumar, an acclaimed South Asian dancer and choreographer based in London, and her young team of dancers performed the classical dance form on the lawns of the Royal Church of Westminster Abbey.
Speaking to NDTV, Ms Kumar said: “India is an important part of the Commonwealth. I think that’s why you see so much India all around.
Arunima Kumar, who has also performed at Buckingham Palace in the past, said: ‘I remember when I first met her (the Queen), she commented on my saree and the silk, and she also tried mudras. So it’s a memory I will have forever.
Not only Kuchipudi, Bollywood dance performances are also part of the grand platinum jubilee celebrations.
Pritee Varsani, a popular folk singer, entertained the Royal Family and VIP guests, such as Tom Cruise, with traditional Gujarat songs at Windsor Royal Castle. She said being able to represent her rich culture in front of the world has been the greatest honor.
On Sunday, nearly 250 Indian dancers will take a six-metre-high Bollywood-inspired cake to the streets to mark the grand finale.
At 96, Queen Elizabeth II is Britain’s longest-serving monarch. She visited India three times – 1961, 1983 and 1997. Also, Prince Charles benefited from Ayurveda and he visited India a dozen times.
