In Egypt, the mega cultural festival 'India by the Nile' got off to a colourful start at the foot of the Pyramids in Cairo with a Crafts Mela, showcasing joint handicraft exhibition of India and Egypt. <br/><br/>India's Ambassador to Egypt, Sanjay Bhattacharyya said the event is a special moment as this year India celebrate 70 years of independence and also 70 years of its diplomatic relations with Egypt. He said the ties that bind the Nile and the Ganga, the Pyramids and Taj Mahal find expression in the affection shared between the two peoples and nurtures their vibrant partnership. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled Al-Anani and other dignitaries.<br/><br/>The Handicraft Exhibition which runs from 8-14 March, is an initiative to promote Indian and Egyptian handicrafts. It is organised by the Embassy of India in partnership with the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India; Export Promotion Council For Handicrafts (India), the Ministry of Social Solidarity (Egypt) and the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI).<br/><br/>The festival, which is a celebration of Indian music, dance, theatre, visual arts, food and wellbeing, is the largest foreign festival in Egypt showcasing 70 events across the country.