Vivek Sharma
New Delhi:Korean Cultural Centre India celebrated Seollal,the Lunar New Year,by organizing an event at the center’s auditorium in New Delhi.
110 Indi
an students and officials attended the celebration. Seollal or the Lunar New Year is one of the most important traditional festivals in South Korea.
This special holiday commemorates the first day of Korean Lunar Calendar with hope and greeting for the New Year ahead.
During the event,the Korean Cultural Centre India showcased the traditional events that are held back in their homeland, such as greeting the elders in the family and wishing them a happy New Year.
The tradition also involves visiting the graves of ancestors and paying respect to them.The occasion is further celebrated by playing traditional games,wearing the Hanbok,the traditional clothing of Korean people, and eating Tteokguk,a rice cake soup.
Tteokguk is a special festival dish that is prepared on Seollal, as it is believed that it is only after consuming a bowl of Tteokguk on the first day of the Lunar year that a person “grows a year older”.
However,the highlight of the event was the showcasing of the Korean Lunar New Year paintings which were drawn by Indian students themselves.
These paintings will be on display at the Korean Cultural Centre India until 12th February.
Speaking on the importance on holding cultural exchanges such as these between the people of India and Republic of Korea,Hwang Il Yong,director of Korean Cultural Centre India,said,“I hope that this opportunity will allow students to talk about each other’s Lunar New Year customs and feel Korean culture more closely.”
