Curtains drawn on the XIX Commonwealth Games - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

As the curtains were drawn on the XIX Commonwealth Games held for 11 days, the impressive closing ceremony held today will also be remembered by people who love traditional dance and art forms of India. One of the special features of today’s ceremony was ‘Agni’ or, the fire. Presented at the outset of the ceremony, ‘Agni’ displayed a matchless confluence of martial arts forms from different parts of the country. About 800 performers displayed the best of their States through traditional martial art form in an amazing light and sound of hundreds of drum beats. Kerala’s Kalaripayatt, Manipur’s Thang Ta, Punjab’s Gatka, Silambam from Tamil Nadu, Gujarat ’s Talwaar Raas and Naga Warriors with their machetes came together in a high-intensity eight-minute performance. There were all sorts of swords, sticks and spears, and spectators were reminded of India ’s martial art traditions dating back many centuries.

Indian martial art forms dazzle at CWG closing ceremony