Thousands of miles from the streets of Kolkata, the rhythms of Indian music are finding an enthusiastic audience in Japan.

In Kawaguchi, a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japanese participants have reportedly taken to the stage during Sharadiya Durga Puja celebrations, performing to Hindi film songs with a fluency and confidence that evoke the familiar choreography of Indian cinema.

The performance, described in a video shared on the verified Facebook account of Indian resident Babita Das, offers a glimpse of how one of Hinduism’s most important annual festivals is bringing people from different cultural backgrounds together.

The video’s reported highlight is the dancers’ ability to follow the music’s rhythm and movements with striking precision. Their performance suggests that the appeal of Indian music and dance can extend well beyond linguistic and national boundaries.

A Bengali festival with a global reach

Durga Puja holds a special place in the religious and cultural life of Bengali Hindus. Dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga, the festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil and brings communities together through prayer, art, music, food and public festivities.

Although rooted in religious observance, the celebration has developed into a broader cultural event, particularly in Bengal, where elaborate decorations, artistic installations, traditional drumming and performances are integral to the festivities.

For Bengali communities living overseas, the annual celebration also provides an opportunity to preserve cultural traditions and pass them on to younger generations.

In Japan, such gatherings can serve an additional purpose: introducing local residents to Indian customs while creating opportunities for friendships between expatriates and their neighbours.

From traditional drumming to Bollywood beats

The reported performance also reflects the changing soundscape of contemporary Durga Puja celebrations.

Traditional Bengali music, the resonant beats of the dhak drum and devotional songs remain central to the festival. Yet Hindi film music, electronic instruments and sophisticated sound systems increasingly feature in cultural programmes accompanying religious celebrations.

Bollywood music, with its distinctive rhythms, expressive choreography and energetic ensemble performances, has attracted audiences internationally for decades. Its dance styles often lend themselves to group performances, making them accessible to people unfamiliar with the language of the songs.

For Japanese participants performing at a Durga Puja event, the music can therefore offer a point of entry into Indian popular culture, even without a shared language.

The juxtaposition of traditional religious observance and contemporary Indian entertainment illustrates how diaspora festivals can retain their cultural roots while embracing new forms of expression.

Building bridges between India and Japan

Kawaguchi’s Indian community provides a setting in which these cultural exchanges can take place. Community-led celebrations give expatriates an opportunity to maintain their traditions while inviting Japanese residents to experience Indian music, dance, cuisine and religious customs.

When local participants take to the stage themselves, the relationship moves beyond that of host and audience. They become active contributors to the celebration, helping create a shared cultural experience.

Dance, in particular, can transcend linguistic barriers. Rhythm, movement and collective performance offer ways for people to participate in a tradition without necessarily sharing its religious background.

If the performance described in Das’s post is representative of the wider celebrations, it offers an appealing example of how a community festival can foster familiarity and mutual appreciation across cultures.

UNESCO recognition puts Durga Puja on the world stage

Durga Puja’s international cultural significance received formal recognition in December 2021, when UNESCO inscribed Kolkata’s Durga Puja on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The designation recognised the festival’s cultural richness, including its artistic traditions, craftsmanship, community participation and role in bringing people together.

The recognition applies specifically to Kolkata’s Durga Puja, rather than automatically conferring a separate UNESCO designation on every celebration held around the world. Nevertheless, it has helped draw international attention to the festival as a living cultural tradition.

For Bengali communities overseas, the festival’s wider international profile provides an important backdrop to their own celebrations, which adapt familiar customs to new social and geographical settings.

When music becomes a common language

The reported performance in Saitama captures a broader feature of cultural life in an increasingly interconnected world: traditions can travel, evolve and acquire new audiences without losing their original significance.

For Bengali Hindus, Durga Puja remains an occasion of devotion, identity and reunion. For Japanese participants, joining a dance performance to Indian music can offer a different but equally meaningful way of engaging with the community.

The result is a celebration in which religious heritage and contemporary popular culture coexist, creating space for both continuity and exchange.

Whether through the beat of a traditional dhak or the pulse of a Bollywood soundtrack, the festival demonstrates how music and dance can bring people together across national borders.

In Kawaguchi, the reported performance offers a simple but powerful reminder: while cultures may differ in language, belief and custom, the joy of sharing music can be understood almost anywhere.