'Asia on the Move' looks beyond Silk Route. Musicians, painters forged India's ties too

The two-day international conference, 'Asia on The Move', at the India International Centre (IIC) explored the impact of this movement of musicians, merchants, travellers and artists across the continent. Scholars from the United States, Hungary, Russia, Uzbekistan and India among other countries sought to understand the overarching idea of Asia itself—Asianism. The ties went beyond silk and trade routes. At the heart of this exchange were ideas that travelled. When you hear the phrase 'Asia on the Move', the last thing that would come to your mind is musical instruments. At a time when New Delhi's conference circuit is brimming…