High Commissioners, Ambassadors, and Diplomats of five countries came together to unequivocally accentuate the role of cultural diversity in achieving greater understanding among peoples and nations.
Lord Sahota and Diplomats at Maitri event
The salient event is organised by the arts charity Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence under the aegis of former Energy and Climate Change Minister Baroness Verma and parliamentary host Lord Sahota at the House of Lords, marking the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
The event titled MAITRI had Her Excellency High Commissioner of Uganda Mrs. Nimisha Madhvani, His Excellency High Commissioner of Malawi Dr Thomas Bisika, Her Excellency High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Mrs. Saroja Sirisena, His Excellency Ambassador and former Foreign Secretary of Nepal Mr Gyan Chandra Acharya share their thoughts on cultural diversity as a vital part of sustainable development.
The countries also have key historical, economic, and trade ties with India, among others, and serve as stellar examples of having benefited from the diversity of both indigenous and migrant populations. The Honorary Consul of Suriname Dr Amwedhkar Jethu sent his message and best wishes on the occasion.
Speech by H.E. High Commissioner of Uganda
Music and Dance presentations such as Bantu song & instrumental (Uganda) by Steven Kasamba, Aboubacar Konate and Jo Mbabazi, Sakela (Nepal) by Deepa Khanal, Nyishi (Arunachal Pradesh) by Vanamala Acha, Rabum Kriddabhiniham (Thai) by Suptachara Kananitikul and classical dance presentation on doing good for humanity by Ragasudha Vinjamuri were very captivating.
Speech by H.E. High Commissioner of Malawi
Sushil Rapatwar, Former Deputy Chair, BNCA presented a reflection on Cultural Humility, Dr Marek Arszulowicz from the University of Sunderland in London spoke on Cultural Competence & Productivity, and Rajanikanth Pasupuleti from Aylesbury Telugu Community spoke on the Landscape of Diversity.
The event concluded with acknowledgments and a Vote of Thanks.
Speech by H.E. High Commissioner of Sri LankaSpeech by H.E. Ambassador of NepalFelicitationsThai presentation by SupatcharaIndian Classical DanceSakela presentation by Deepa Nyishi presentation by Vanamala Bantu Arts presentation Sushil Rapatwar speaking on the occasionDr Marek Arszulowicz speaking on the occasionRajanikanth Pasupuleti speaking on the occasion
The event was organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages supported by the Chartered Institute of Linguists, reports Asian Lite News
18 languages were presented and highlighted at the House of Lords of British Parliament marking the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. The event was organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages supported by the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Sushil Rapatwar presenting Sanskrit poem
Parliamentary host Baroness Garden of Frognal emphasised the importance of languages and lauded the organisers for bringing together meaningful linguistic content. Poems, mostly self-authored by the diaspora members in the UK, were presented in Sanskrit, Assamese, Bengali, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Odiya, Punjabi, Sindhi, Telugu and Nepali.
Baroness Garden rendering opening words
Also highlighted were some of the scripts such as Takri, Sharda, and Mithilakshar. Founder of Sanskruti Centre Ragasudha Vinjamuri, who herself presented her Telugu poem, spoke about Tai Khamti language of Arunachal Pradesh, which is the only language of the two in Arunachal which has a script. She mentioned that just about 20 000 people are currently speaking Tai Khamti language. She further added that the language is on the verge of decline and NGOs like Tai Khamti Heritage and Literature Society are working hard on language preservation and documenting projects. An age-old rhyme Koh-aui-Koh translated into English by Chow Kalingna Mnanoi was also included in the booklet Ramaneeyam- The Beauty of Expression brought out on the occasion.
The immensely vibrant program involved poetry recitation by Doctors, Councillors, University educators, members of the British armed forces, Chartered Accountants, Artists, and IT professionals namely Gitanjali Cox, Sayoni Batabyal, Lalit Sharma, Mukesh Karelia, Tithi Dani, Radhika Joshi, Dr Shafalica Bhan Kotwal, Dr Bernadette Pereira, Cllr Sharad Kumar Jha, Cllr Dr Ganga Sivakumar, Rupali Shilankar, Anushree Pattnaik, Captain Munish Chauhan, Renu Gidoomal, Sushil Rapatwar, Durga Prasad Pokhrel and Ragasudha Vinjamuri. Amandeep has presented a tribute to Gurus through a brief classical song.
Assamese poem presented by Gita Cox
Dr Nandita Sahu, Attache (Hindi and Culture) from the High Commission of India has given concluding remarks. In attendance were also Prof. Terry Lamb (Professor of Languages and Head of the Westminster Centre for Teaching Innovation at the University of Westminster), Philip Harding-Esch (Secretariat, APPG- Modern Languages), Chandru Gidoomal, Dr Nishebita Das, Sunil Sood and Sanjeev Kumar of HCI, among others.
Multilingual presenters at WDCD 2023Multilingual presenters at WDCD eventSindhi poem recitation by Renu GidoomalTelugu poem recitation by Ragasudha Vinjamuri
A unique concert that fused Tagore songs with traditional Hindustani classical bandishes enthralled the audience. Rahul Laud reports
Surangon, the education wing of Moksha, the performing arts organisation, launched in 2012 presented a mesmerising evening to the lovers of Hindustani classical music and Tagore’s songs.
Surangan whose teachings are mainly based on the works and philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore, the first Asian Nobel Laureate, offered rich tributes to the late Dr Prof Ajit Halder on the occasion. Ajit Halder, an academic by profession, was a committed community champion and admirer of Tagore. A founding member of RVM, Bolton, he was the driving force behind the annual Rabindra Kavya Dibash concert in partnership with the Manchester Metropolitan University and worked with multiple communities across the North West to promote Indian and Bengali culture.
Popularly known as Ajitda, he was an organising member of Banga Sammelan first held in Liverpool in 1996. He served as the Hindu Chaplain for the Prison Service. He started and administered an IT learning group at the Indian Senior Citizens Centre where he would help people learn to navigate the digital world. Having suffered the loss of sight in one eye, he volunteered at the RNIB to assist those more unfortunate than himself. He was a devoted grandfather, father and husband, leaving behind a rich legacy of cultural foundations and a greater sense of community.
Rishi Banerjee and his mother Ballari Banerjee who were the lead organisers of the event said, “Tagore remains a towering figure whose literary works have enriched not only the educational, social and cultural environment in India but also helped to establish a rapport between the East and the West.”
Tagore’s Kalmrigaya presentation brought together an ensemble of over 40 people of various ages and backgrounds. Rishi Banerjee who is an accomplished singer conceived, adapted and directed the musical opera. Renowned classical Kathak dancer Roshni Sarkar in the role of Dasaharath showed her dancing and acting prowess. Ballari Banerjee gave vocal direction to the music arrangement of Kolkatta-based based Subrata Mukhopadhya.
Composed in an operatic format in 1882, Rabindranath Tagore’s Kalmrigaya is inspired by the epic – Ramayana. A pioneer and innovator in Bengal, Rabindranath introduced the concept of “Geetinatya” or musical opera, having first composed Balmiki Pratibha in 1881. As a composer, he blended Western music (Scottish and Irish folk melodies) with Hindustani classical music traditions such as Dhrupad and Khayal as well as Bengali folk such as Kirtan.
Influenced by the Greek tragedies, Kalmrigaya is a significant landmark as he first introduced the Bonodevis or wood nymphs who play the equivalent role of a Greek Chorus setting the scenes, telling the story and warning the audience of anything ominous. Kalmrigaya explores the themes of forgiveness and regret through the characters of Andhamuni and Dasharath. A valiant hunter and loyal servant to the King, he oozes confidence. Yet, after killing Rishikumar he shows genuine shock and remorse for his actions. Tagore shows that even the greatest hunters have their flaws and they too have a heart. He may not have been forgiven but he is magnanimous enough to admit his fault.
The story unfolds as the young boy Rishikumar, son of the blind sage Andhamuni, goes to fetch water for his father in the forest. At the same time, the crown prince, Dasharath goes hunting in the forest and in the stormy monsoon conditions mistakes Rishikumar for a baby deer and kills him. Granting the young boy’s wish to take water and his body to the blind sage, the prince begs for forgiveness. The blind sage, enraged, curses the prince to experience the pain and suffering of losing a son, but ultimately forgives him.
The highlight of the evening was Sur Sangam anchored by Gopali Chakraborti Ghosh. Eminent Vocalist Koyel Bhattacharya, disciple of Ustad Rashid Khan with her full throttled powerful voice brought huge weightage to the show. Accompanied on Tabla by her husband Kuntal Das, student of Pt. Shubhankar Banerjee the duo regaled the audience with Rishi Banerjee who sang Tagore songs based on the different ragas. The Sur Sangam was a unique “Sangam” – a fine blend of Hindustani classical bandishes and popular Tagore songs. Amith Dey on keyboards displayed his professional talent and the apt use of piano and other instruments on the keys clearly showed that his vocal training added superb blend to the vocalists.
The vocalists featured Raag Desh, Bhoopali, Yaman Kalyan and Bhairavi. The Farida Khanum sung ghazal Aaj Jane ki zidd na karo in Yaman Kalyan in her trained mellifluous voice by Koyel stole the audience’s hearts. Her bandish in Bhairavi was the icing on the cake. In a very unusual pattern the vocal concert ended with devotional song in Raag Malkauns.
Ballari said, “At Suranagon. We are proud to be teaching students of differing ages, various backgrounds and communities and we have also been fortunate enough to perform across the country presenting the works of the Bard.” The students also had the opportunity to perform in Kolkata and record their first album – “Kon Nutoner Daak” launched in December 2018, Banerjee added.
Yaatra is a Michelin guide listed modern Indian restaurant located in Westminster. It was serving up an array of royal offerings to their guests and patrons to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. From 29th April to 6th May 2023 diners enjoyed in a delish five-course feasting menu that was created by Executive Chef Amit Bagyal, a champagne reception on the morning of the Coronation and a special bottomless bellini brunch to mark the grand and historic occasion. An exclusive feature by FnB columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.
Chef Amit designed a spectacular Coronation menu which included dishes that were inspired by the vast culinary landscape of the subcontinent. Menu highlights included sweetcorn and coconut tikki with green mango salsa, Coorg lamb pepper fry, garlic herb and butter poached chicken breast, and a chocolate and orange dessert.
To complement the unique tasting menu, guests could also enjoy two celebratory Coronation cocktails. As King Charles is partial to a martini, Yaatra had created The King Charles Martini with gin, green cardamom and lemon dry vermouth, with lemon bitters. They also created the Coronation 75 – the perfect celebratory tipple made with gin, green cardamom, lemon vermouth, lemon and sugar champagne.
On Saturday, 6th May 2023 Yaatra hosted guests to kick off the coronation festivities in style with a champagne reception and breakfast, including the likes of bacon naans, King Charles Cranagan with toasted oats, raspberries, whisky and honey cream, Masala omelet and a right Royal fry up!
Following the reception diners indulged in a lavish bottomless Bellini lunch with finger-licking dishes like Garhwal goat osso bucco, butter paneer, grilled freshwater tiger prawns and a lot more. It was an ideal way to toast to the grand occasion. There was also a live-streaming of the procession, so guests could take in all of the coronation action.
With a royal-inspired tasting menu and a range of exciting events, Yaatra hosted culinary enthusiasts as they joined in celebrating the Coronation at their esteemed Westminster location. The vibe at the restaurant was momentous, the service was exceptionally spot on and overall the fine dining experience was one of a kind.
Yaatra is located in the Old Westminster Fire Station – an iconic Grade II Edwardian building in the heart of London.
About Chef Amit Bagyal
Chef Amit (previously of the Michelin-starred Indian restaurants Benares and Kanishka) has his name now in one of london’s top Indian chefs with more than a decade and a half of experience in the culinary industry. He is currently the Executive Chef at Yaatra in the heart of Westminster, where he specialises in modern Indian cuisine, inspired by his travels across the highways and byways of his home country and beyond. Bagyel’s menu at Yaatra gives long overdue recognition to the lesser known territories in India, divulging unique flavours and culinary traditions. His dedication to using the freshest, highest quality ingredients has helped Yaatra become a dining destination in its own right. Over the years, Amit has developed his trademark cooking style of taking tried and tested Indian dishes and giving them his own bold spin with a modern flair.
Khan, who will challenge for a third term next year, told the interviewer that he “lost his mojo” during lockdowns as coronavirus had its own effect on his mental health as well…reports Asian Lite News
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that dealing with the aftermath of disasters and receiving death threats since taking office have left him with post-traumatic stress disorder.
In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Khan described it as a “cumulative” type of PTSD, while stressing that he was not equating it to the PTSD endured by refugees or people who had faced similar experiences.
Khan, who will challenge for a third term next year, told the interviewer that he “lost his mojo” during lockdowns as coronavirus had its own effect on his mental health as well.
“I didn’t have clarity of thinking. I wasn’t so sparky. I wasn’t inspiring my team,” the 52-year-old said.
The mayor said that his security entourage offers “the same level of protection the prime minister and the king receive,” adding that dealing with death threats and the aftermath of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire have affected his mental health.
He said that he had been told by a friend, a doctor, that he was suffering from a “cumulative” version of PTSD.
Khan was quoted as saying: “By the way, I’m not comparing what I am going through to some of the stuff people go through — as a lawyer, my clients with PTSD were asylum seekers and refugees.
“I would never give equivalence to what I am going through. Nor would I ever want people to feel sorry for me. I’m very privileged to do the job I do.
“By the way, if this means I’m a snowflake, so be it, right? Mental health is fragile if it’s not looked after. And I shouldn’t be afraid to talk about it.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan says he is suffering from PTSD after death threats have forced him to have 24-hour presidential-level security. He Really Is Unpopular! via https://t.co/4N6UmtO8sDhttps://t.co/WDXwNmvZ3e
— Bob For A Full Brexit (@boblister_poole) May 20, 2023
Khan also discussed the issue of housing, saying that his daughters are still living with him due to London’s shortage of reasonably priced accommodation.
“If I was speaking to you 20 years ago, I’d be saying, I’m worried about cleaners and bus drivers not being able to live in London. Now it’s nurses, doctors, teachers. My children have finished their degrees and are living at home,” he said.
“By 2030, one in three 30-year-olds will still be living with their mum and dad. I love my kids, but I want them to leave at some stage, right? So, we’ve got to fix the housing crisis. I was 24 when I bought my first home. That’s unthinkable now.”
Khan said that he hopes to serve six terms as mayor in order to create a London “that can have our children feeling they have a future rather than being worried about what the future holds.”
Chef Sohini was born and raised in Kolkata, India and moved to the UK with her parents just before her teenage years. Cooking has been her passion for as long as she can remember. Her cuisine is shaped by her family’s immigration, her roots from East and West Bengal and all the techniques of her home cuisine. She is heavily inspired by the ingenious methods of her grandmothers and mother, by the street food culture in Kolkata and also everywhere she travels inspires her. An exclusive feature by FnB columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.
Supperclub curator Chef Sohini Banerjee started Smoke and Lime – her supperclub brand in 2018 in London. She has taken her events to Brisbane and Kolkata too.
Sohini’s supper clubs aim to evoke a sense of home with the excitement of new flavours that connect old stories. The space and set up is for warmth, unity over food and exploring her family cooking techniques using local and seasonal produce. Her menu is vegetarian, seasonal and also creates no wastage. This means that whatever she cooks with, all of it goes into the food. The peels, the ends, the seeds and the whole lot will is used in different condiments, garnishes and incorporated into the food in order to create less of a carbon footprint.
“My hope with the supper clubs has always been to provide a comfortable space, where people are welcomed into our home to experience our food and culture, most of which is inspired by my childhood in Kolkata and being brought up as a British Indian and having the luxury to travel to so many places.” – Sohini
When her guests eat her food she aims to introduce them to lip smacking new flavours. Her supper clubs aim to evoke a sense of home with the excitement of new flavours that connect old stories to new. Her space is for exploring her family cooking techniques using local produce.
“My future aspirations is to continue to feed and make people happy. I want to evoke a sense of home, of belonging and create comfort as well as excite people with new dishes.” said Chef Sohini.
The Supperclub experience is absolutely amazing. Chef Sohini welcomes one and all with enthusiasm, she is a charming hostess and effortlessly floats between kitchen, conversations, anecdotes and serving up delectable fare. The food is incredible, full of unique and familiar flavours both and certainly has her unique touch and a story to tell. The supperclub runs very smoothly and well from the point of menu being shared in advance to descriptions of dishes on the day which is informative.
The supperclub also provides an opportunity to meet new food enthusiasts and chat with the other guests and hosts over delish grub. The atmosphere and vibe at the Supperclub event is vibrant. Every course served is delicious, inventive and overall a Supperclub experience with Smoke and Lime is a feast of flavours, Chef Sohini’s hospitality is exceptional. Highly Recommended!
MyMeals is all about delectable dishes that are made fresh from an Indian kitchen in London. Meet chef and mompreneur Mamta Satija and read about her food venture that’s satiating taste buds of homestyle and street style Indian food lovers across london city, writes FnB columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International newspaper.
London based chefpreneur Mamta Sharma originally hails from Delhi. She reminisces that while she was living in Delhi she “ate North Indian food from every corner of Delhi. I started cooking when I was around 14 when my mom enrolled me for a course in making jams and pickles at home. Something very special happened for me when I saw mixing of some ingredients, seeing how that could change all the flavours. I then started cooking with my mom and took naturally to it, I recall I made Paneer Pulao as my first dish and that too in a Karahi not a cooker so that felt unique at the time. Every body was impressed how I made rice in karahi with no experience as a young teenager and for a while after that whoever I went to meet my family members used to ask me on special request to make that Pulao…and then there was no looking back!’
Gradually over time Mamta started mixing influences and ingredients of different regions to make something unique and create a regional dish with her signature twist. She tried eats like besan ka chilla toast, green garlic and guava chutney and her cooking passion had bigger plans little did she know at the time.
Mamta’s journey to becoming a chef with a food and catering business started when she came to UK and started craving authentic Indian food a lot, also her love for cooking was at its peak and then Mamta started making all of it at home here including street foods like Aloo tikki chaat,Dahi bhalla,Golgappas,Papri chaat,Samoasas and momos.
One fine day her husband encouraged her to take her skills and passion one step further and start her own catering company. Mamta said that “he felt that I can use my knowledge about cooking in a way that could be useful to me in my business.” She went on to say that “My mom and dad both are really good cooks so I learnt all my Punjabi style cooking from them and felt I could offer that real home taste of preservative free fresh food to fellow foodies in london.”
Mamta had started her company believing in her passion and as she is a self proclaimed foodie so that encourages her to try new versions of Indian dishes by blending some authentic and some modern elements.
Mamta said that she believes that “as a chef I am ambitious and I want to keep growing with renewed goals in mind. I like to keep myself up to date with new dishes and new culinary technologies and that’s how MyMeal company was created, with that ethos.”
Some of the highlights of Mamta’s many menu offerings are Aloo tikki chaat, Dahi bhalla, Samosas, Rajma masala, Paneer Makhani, Punjabi Choley, Sarson ka Saag, Chilly Paneer Dal Makahni, Chicken Curry, Chicken Biryani to name a few. They do caterings for events, parties, office events and home gatherings over festivities. When you place an order with chef Mamta she and her support team make sure they note down everything regarding any dietary requirements. Recently they did catering for school event for quiz night serving food for 100 people. Mamta said that “we pride ourselves as being few selected companies who can gurantee that the food served will be always fresh and made with fresh British and indian ingredients according to your taste.”
MyMeals is planning to start live chaat corners at community event soon. Mamta also has on top of her wish list to one day have a central london eatery of her own. But always serving up fresh food, never frozen. MyMeals started off as an initiative to change the perception of Indian cuisine beyond curries and Mamta says and she will ensure she does her bit to showcase the diversity of foods from the subcontinent.
Mamta said that her cooking is a fusion of modern style and authentic flavours, it’s all about healthy take on recipes which have been passed on through generations in her family.
MyMeals dishes look good, taste good, evokes nostalgia of India in every bite, the dishes are packaged well and delivery is arranged meticulously. Highly Recommended.
Mamta signed off and said conclusively that , “For me, cooking is a creative art form. It’s like the blessings you can provide for family and friends. Providing a fresh, nutritious and flavourful meal not only brings joy and smiling faces, but also ensures long term health benefits.”
An American president has never attended a British coronation and President Joe Biden asked the first lady to represent the U.S. in his place.
First lady Jill Biden, who represented the United States at Saturday’s coronation of Britain’s King Charles III, said there was “such beauty in the pageantry of the ceremony” and it was “just amazing to see.”
“You can’t imagine that moment where you actually see the crown being placed on the head of the king and then on the head on the queen,” she said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press after the ceremony in London. “It’s really surreal to see and experience that moment.”
Charles’ wife, Camilla, also was crowned queen during Britain’s first coronation in 70 years. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died last September after a seven-decade reign.
An American president has never attended a British coronation and President Joe Biden asked the first lady to represent the U.S. in his place. The White House said Jill Biden’s appearance marked the first time that a U.S. first lady was present for a British coronation.
She brought one of her granddaughters, Finnegan Biden, 24, on the trip.
First Ladies of US and Ukraine Jill Biden and Olena Zelenska respectively meet with Kate Middleton in London.
“It’s my honor to represent the people of the United States and I wanted to be here,” Jill Biden said. “It was so meaningful to me that I could bring Finnegan here, that we could travel together and experience this together and it’s meant a lot to both of us.”
The first lady spoke as she and Finnegan headed to afternoon tea following the coronation at Westminster Abbey. “We thought that was something that was so British,” she said of their tea time. “It was something we really wanted to do together.”
She said sitting and watching the ceremony led her to think about the importance of traditions. “I felt as I sat there, I felt this sense of decorum and civility that binds together people of all nations,” she said.
At the coronation, Jill Biden sat beside Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine. Jill Biden said they talked about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and that Zelenska thanked her again for the support from the United States.
Jill Biden said she paid close attention to Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby’s message that people everywhere seek hope and joy.
“And I thought that was such strong message because I think that is true,” she said. “And it’s true for all people everywhere, but I think it was important at this moment that the clergy brought that in to this moment in history.”
The United States and the United Kingdom have a special relationship.
It’s an honor to represent the United States on this historic day at Westminster Abbey. https://t.co/beeRbljbuQ
The first lady attended a Buckingham Palace reception Friday that was hosted by Charles. She said Charles recounted to her his most recent telephone conversation with President Biden and asked her to “give my best to your husband.”
She said she and Princess Kate chatted as mothers about the lengths to which they go to keep their children quiet in church, feeding them pieces of candy and such.
“She said she didn’t know if her son could sit still for two hours and we just had a good laugh over it,” Jill Biden said. “It’s just something, I think, that’s common to a lot of us.”
The King reused the Coronation Glove made for the Coronation of his grandfather, King George VI, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency.
At the Coronation on Saturday, the Glove to hold the Sovereign’s Sceptre during the Crowning, was presented to King Charles III by Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon.
The Glove is worn to hold the Sovereign’s Sceptre during the Crowning and then removed before processing to the Throne Chair, the Royal.UK wrote. The Coronation Glove or gauntlet is made for the Sovereign’s right hand. The King reused the Coronation Glove made for the Coronation of his grandfather, King George VI, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency. It was presented by the Worshipful Company of Glovers, made by Dents the glovemakers, and embroidered by Edward Stillwell and Company in 1937.
This Glove has been conserved by Dents with support from the Worshipful Company of Glovers and was re-presented by the Company ahead of the Coronation on 6th May, the Royal.UK wrote.
The Glove is made of white leather and the wrist is embroidered with gilt metal thread, wire and spangles in the form of national emblems including the Tudor Rose, thistle, shamrock, oak leaves and acorns. The back of the hand with an embroidered ducal coronet in red velvet above the coat of arms of the family of the Dukes of Newcastle. The wrist is lined with red satin.
The King reused historic items of clothing from the Royal Collection, worn by previous monarchs at past Coronations, during the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey. The ‘vestments’ were worn as the King was crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Coronation Chair.
His Majesty reused vestments which featured in the Coronation Services of King George IV in 1821, King George V in 1911, King George VI in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, including the Colobium Sindonis, the Supertunica, the Imperial Mantle, the Coronation Sword Belt and the Coronation Glove, the Royal.UK wrote.
Although it is customary for the Supertunica and the Imperial Mantle to be reused, King Charles III also reused the Colobium Sindonis, Coronation Sword Belt and Coronation Glove worn by his grandfather King George VI, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency, the Royal.UK wrote.
Lord Indarjit Singh is a British Sikh peer. The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Lord Indarjit Singh represented the Sikh community at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, former Member of Parliament Tarlochan Singh said in the statement. He had also attended the wedding of the son of the then-Prince of Wales Charles.
King Charles III is also serving as the Head of the Church of England and all the ceremonies are conducted by the Archbishop. However, it is reported that King Charles expressed his desire to be a defender of all faiths while serving as head of the Christian faith in the UK.
It is for the first time that peers from different faiths – Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Jewish were part of the procession during the coronation ceremony.
The Sikh community had hailed the decision of King Charles to give equal status to all religions, Tarlochan Singh said in the statement. The UK Government named 90-year-old Lord Indarjit Singh to represent the Sikh community.
Earlier this month, the UK’s royal family revealed new details, including a new Twitter emoji ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, which is scheduled to take place next month.
Taking to the official Twitter handle, the Royal Family said, “A special emoji for the Coronation has gone live today! The emoji, based on St Edward’s Crown, will appear when any of the following hashtags are used: #Coronation #CoronationConcert #TheBigHelpout #CoronationWeekend #CoronationBigLunch”.
On the morning of the Coronation, the Royals travelled from Buckingham Palace in The King’s Procession to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach – which was created in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
The King’s Procession, accompanied by The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry departed Buckingham Palace and proceeded down The Mall, passing through Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street to Westminster Abbey.
The procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace took the same route in reverse.
The procession included Armed Forces from across the Commonwealth and the British Overseas Territories, and all Services of the UK’s Armed Forces.
The members of the Royal family travelled in the Gold State Coach, which was commissioned in 1760 and was first used by King George III to travel to the State Opening of Parliament in 1762, and has been used at every Coronation since that of William IV in 1831. (ANI)
Several leaders and official representatives of Gulf countries were among the estimated 2,000 guests at the coronation of the United Kingdom’s King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday.
As announced on Thursday, Saudi Arabia was represented by Prince Turki bin Mohammad bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, a minister of state and cabinet member, who attended the historic ceremony on behalf of King Salman. With him was Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador to the UK.
Prince Turki spoke with the king during a pre-coronation ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Friday.
King Abdullah II of Jordan and his wife Queen Rania were seated close to the king and queen of Spain, Felipe VI and Letizia.
Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani made the journey to London alongside his consort Sheikha Jawaher for Saturday’s event, and the duo were also photographed meeting with King Charles on Friday.
The UAE delegation at the coronation was led by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, the vice president and deputy prime minister, who was also in attendance at Friday’s reception.
“Sheikh Mansour pointed out the significant role played by the late Queen Elizabeth II in strengthening the longstanding friendship that brought together the United Kingdom and the UAE since the era of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan and which was further consolidated during the era of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan,” a UAE government statement said.
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa attended the coronation and was accompanied by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.
“King Hamad exchanged cordial talks with King Charles III on the depth of the robust long-standing friendly relations between the two royal families and countries, affirming the steady growth of the historical ties between the two kingdoms across various fields,” the Bahrain News Agency reported ahead of the ceremony.
Congratulations to King Charles III on his coronation today. The United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom share a longstanding historical relationship, and we look forward to further enhancing it and taking it to new levels during the reign of the new king.
Meanwhile, Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al-Said, a member of the Omani royal family, attended with the sultanate’s foreign minister Sayyid Badr Al-Busaidi, while Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait attended on behalf of Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Other international dignitaries in attendance included US First Lady Jill Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, EU Commission President Urusula von der Leyen, and Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine.
Congratulations to my dear friend His Majesty King Charles III on his coronation ceremony. We extend our heartfelt wishes to the United Kingdom and its people on this historic day, and look forward to further strengthening our countries’ longstanding partnership.
Biden was representing the US in the absence of her husband and her appearance marked the first time that a US first lady has been present for a British coronation.
She said there was “such beauty in the pageantry of the ceremony” and it was “just amazing to see,” adding: “You can’t imagine that moment where you actually see the crown being placed on the head of the king and then on the head on the queen. It’s really surreal to see and experience that moment.”
