'Taste of Qatar' to provide glimpses of Qatari culture in Torch Relay nations

Orchestrated and choreographed by the National Council of Culture, Arts and Heritage (NCCAH) of Qatar, 19 professional dancers, musicians and five handicraft artists will create the show featuring traditional Qatari dance, music and making of handicrafts.

The Doha 2006 Torch will be symbolically lit during a glittering ceremony in Doha on 8 October. It will then be flown on a private aircraft to New Delhi.

'Taste of Qatar' will travel with the 15th Asian Games Torch Relay to India, Korea, Japan, China, Macau-China, Hong Kong-China, Indonesia, Thailand and IR Iran in Asia and the GCC before returning to Qatar. While providing the above nations with a glimpse of what awaits them when they arrive for the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006, there will also be interactive sessions with spectators at the celebration sites. The cultural events will be organised by local National Olympic Committees, city authorities and Qatar Embassies across Asia.

The troupe will return to perform in Doha to mark the final one-week countdown to the Games.

The Ardha, a combination of poetry and dance will be performed by two lines of singers in traditional Qatari dress and the call and response routine highlights lyrics of horsemanship, chivalry and strength and is performed using intricate golden ceremonial swords.

The dance is accompanied by an array of percussion instruments, including al-ras (a large drum whose leather is heated by an open fire), tambourine and cymbals, along with several small drums. Other instruments include the oud and rebaba, both string instruments, as well as the Arabian flute.

Spectators at the Relays' Celebration sites will also have the opportunity to experience Qatar's rich culture of handicrafts such as henna hand painting, dhow boat making, a tradition handed down from generations and gypsum carving, a traditional craft displaying intricate designs in plaster.