Tantora Celebration begins in AlUla as part of ancient winter traditions

The Tantora Celebration is under way in AlUla.

The event aims to educate, entertain and inspire visitors with a host of activities that include 200 performers showcasing the essence and history of the region. It is part of the Winter at Tantora festival and runs until Saturday.

The Tantora is a sundial used by local residents to tell the time and mark the beginning of the winter planting season. It begins with the shadow cast by the sundial in the Old Town.

Projections on the landscape around AlUla during Tantora Celebration. Photo: RCU

“The Tantora Celebration is reliving and celebrating the centuries-old cultural event when people, families and communities would gather,” says AlUla resident Abu Hamza.

The opening ceremony for Tantora Celebration began with a beautiful spread of Saudi Arabian coffee, with varieties from each region of the country, and traditional music and dance performances.

It was accompanied by light projections on the landscape surrounding the area, with interactive live immersion performances where actors replayed scenes from the history. Visitors were then led through a walkway designed as a street from AlUla’s past.

Scenes acted out included children playing games in the sand outside their mud homes, women making traditional crafts and men farming.

AlUla was located along Incense Road, a network of major land and sea trading routes that enabled trading silk, spices and a variety of goods. It was also a major hub for Islamic pilgrims travelling from Damascus to Makkah.

“Tantora is fascinating as it not only revives ancient tales of the past but helps connect the present to the future,” says Zahra Abdulmajeed, who was at the event.

AlUla musicians and an international orchestra also teamed up to perform classics together.

“We came to watch my husband perform,” says Abeer Harbi.“My daughter and I came to see him. She loves to see them perform. The event is great for children.”

"I love how western and eastern sounds mix and this collaboration with musicians from AlUla and abroad play together creating a beautiful harmony and that’s what AlUla is all about, embracing diversity as its been used to traders all throughout its history," says Harbi.

As part of the continuing Tantora Celebration, people will be able to enjoy a host of activities such as hot-air ballooning, shopping, trail walks and new restaurant experiences.

Shows for the Tantora Celebration run from are from 6pm to 10.30pm until Saturday. Tickets priced at SAR 80 ($21) for adults and SAR 20 ($5) for children

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All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated

Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona

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Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."

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16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

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Price: Not announced yet

Scores

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Burnley 1-0 Brighton
Manchester United 4-1 Fulham
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Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
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Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
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Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press