Festivals of India September 9, 2014
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Music & Dance.39 comments
On Saturday, we enjoyed Indian Dancing, Music, Costumes and Food in air-conditioned comfort at India Fest 2014.
The theme of the festival focused on eight major festivals in India:
Uttarayan ~ kite flying and rooftop picnics to celebrate winter’s end
Baisakhi ~ celebrated in different ways by Sikhs, Hindus, and Buddhists
Pongal ~ celebrants greet milk boiling over with shouts of “Pongalo Pongal”
Holi ~ marking the first full moon in Spring with clouds of colored powder
Ganesh Chaturthi ~ celebrating the birth day of Lord Ganesha
Onam ~ festival of rain, flowers, and rice harvest
Navratri ~ celebrated over nine nights around harvest time in October
Diwali ~ festival of lights illuminating the country with brilliance
After a brief history of each festival, lithe and limber dancers in elaborate and elegant costumes performed traditional dances to traditional music.
Each dance ended amid appreciative applause.
After the dancing and music, all performers returned to the stage for the singing of India’s national anthem.
A bejeweled Lord Ganesh watched over the festival.
POLICE watched over Lord Ganesh and his jewels.
After the music and dancing, attendees wandered the food stalls and the bazaar, stopping to gape at colorful plumage.
We sampled Spring Rolls, Samosas, and Bhel Puri (a favorite street food in Mumbai featuring puffed rice, peanuts, tomatoes, tamarind sauce, potatoes, mint, cilantro chutney, onions, cumin, chili powder, lemon juice, chaat masala, sel, papdis, etc.).
Before leaving we stopped for a photo op with that gorgeous peacock we spied earlier ~> his plumage matched my skirt!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Spirit Lights The Way 