Katara Cultural Village, Doha, Qatar

KATARA CULTURAL VILLAGE - DOHA, QATAR

Text & Photographs By - Lt Col D Purushothaman Pillay (Retd)

The Katara Cultural Village is the largest multi-dimensional cultural project in this geography, that was thoughtfully envisioned, crafted and created under the wise leadership of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir of the State of Qatar. It is a destination where citizens of different nationalities congregate to experience the wonders of a kaleidoscope of cultures of the world. It is scenically located in the heart of the city, on the panoramic waterfront overlooking the tranquil aquamarine waters of a loch between the busy business district of West Bay and the luxurious residential quarter of Pearl Qatar.

The idea of Katara was born out of a long-held aspiration to position the prosperous and visionary State of Qatar as a gleaming cultural-lighthouse for everything related to art. It is purported to radiate the glory of creativity from the Middle East by honouring theatre, literature, music, visual art, film and suchlike enriching artistic pursuits through periodic conventions and exhibitions. This sprawling complex boasts of a variety of state-of-the-art theatres, concert halls, exhibition galleries and other cutting-edge cultural facilities, set amid a landscape of innovative interpretations of Arabic architecture at its splendorous best.

The village has evolved a busy year-round calendar of festivals, concerts and exhibitions. The most famous among them is the annual, week-long  Ajyal Youth Film Festival held every November, hosted by the Doha Film Institute that is also located within the precincts of this complex. This festival is a much respected and popular event among serious film lovers. Many Hollywood stars are known to descend on Doha during that week, every winter.

A couple of visits I had of the magnificent Katara Cultural Village has left me totally besotted with its amazing mosaic of facilities curated with an unparalleled vision and executed on an unprecedented scale. This centre has been very thoughtfully conceived and painstakingly put together, therefore discovering its endless maze of labyrinthine bylanes is an absolute pleasure. Every bend affords a surprise that will bewilder you. There are an amazing variety of cuisines in fine dining options tucked away in the various nooks. Then there is that airy and open promenade, adjacent to the central amphitheatre that hosts an assortment of sea-side food stalls, boutiques and markets, that come alive at dusk. The village is open every day from midday to midnight, with a few hours break between 3 and 5 in the afternoon. Being so expansive it is impossible to unravel all its mysteries in one trip. So this fascinating place retains its secrets and divulges its charms to the visitors in instalments, over multiple visits. I am planning on compiling a series of photo-essays in this blog, describing the different components that combine to create this wonderful cultural complex. It is only then that one will be able to do full justice and fathom the infinite depth of this grand project.

To sum up I would say that Katara is a glorious experiment to set up a global crossover junction, where talented artists of all cultures and ethnicities congregate in total harmony, to rejoice in a happy intermingling that celebrates cultures, shares histories and nurtures an understanding of peaceful co-existence that promotes world peace. It aspires to build a community of creative and innovative connoisseurs, who are aware of their heritage and also knowledgeable about global cultures and values. Katara could, therefore, be defined as that unique confluence of time, space and talent, that merge to create magic. A rendezvous, where pristine heritage in all its glory enjoys a rare tryst with the innovation of modernity. It celebrates creativity and genius. Katara catalyzes new cultural synergies and forges novel artistic collaborations, which will then reverberate in newer symphonies and friendships, that is born in the purity of creativity.

Finally, in an increasingly disconnected world, that is constantly living on the web, where people impersonally conduct their business in a cloud-based 'virtual' domain, unique initiatives like "Katara" serves to connect people and provide a 'real' world, where they can experience culture, by touching with their hands, seeing with their eyes, and feeling with their hearts. The Cultural Village welcomes with open arms the art-loving citizenry of the world to connect on a variety of platforms and share the wealth of their vibrant cultures, embrace uniqueness, discover similarities and create bonds that endure. This only serves to unite people regardless of their origins. This most benevolent altruistic intent is at the core of the conceptualization of this glorious cultural village. It is immensely well-intentioned, immeasurably noble and amply illustrates the spirit of exceptional graciousness and boundless magnanimity of the rulers of this wonderful country Qatar. I certainly feel that it is just a matter of time before Katara will come to be universally recognized as the ultimate cultural destination on the planet.